
As soon as you walk through customs at Tallinn airport you are greeted with a sign that says 'Welcome to Estonia – It's positively surprising.'

It's positively surprising. That's how Estonians describe their own country.

Not exactly a ringing endorsement of the highest degree, yet these two words, these two simple words, epitomises the country and its people perfectly – that they're calmly confident that this is a destination like no other, it's just that you haven't realised it yet.

The Angla Windmills: These are among the most famous windmills in Estonia, and they are typical trestle windmills characteristic of the island of Saaremaa

Being in such close proximity to Russia, it is easy to think that Estonia is just another former Soviet bloc country with grey concrete buildings and even gloomier dispositions, yet it couldn't be more different to its much larger neighbour.

Since the restoration of independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 (they originally declared their independence in 1918), Estonia is a country that is immensely proud of its rediscovered and redefined national identity, and of its uniqueness too; there aren't many places that can boast of 1,500 islands, 1,400 kilometres of coastline, and yet with nearly 50% of the entire country covered in forest.

Add in the fact that there's only a population of 1.3 million people (making it one of the least densely populated countries in all of Europe), it means you've practically got the place to yourself.

There's no doubt about it, a lot of people who travel to Estonia don't go any further than the capital of Tallinn, yet as soon as you travel half an hour out of the city and into the countryside the landscapes really open up to you.

With the highest point being a paltry 318metres, it feels like these landscapes are eternal and endless, that they stretch on and on, and with different backdrops of beautiful beaches and bogs, of lighthouses and windmills, it really is a photographers paradise.

I spent a little over a week travelling around Estonia specifically focusing on photographing the countryside.

I had been told that the country was visually very diverse (even more so in winter), and I wanted to capture a little of that.

After learning all about Estonia and seeing it for myself, after really thinking about it, it was only then that I realised the country really was positively surprising, almost in every way. Now it's your turn to realise it with the images below.

Nowhere to grow: One of the best things about having your own car is you get to stop off whenever you come across something to shoot; in this case a deserted farm house

Not your average bog: This is what the bogs look like in Estonia. As they are all freshwater, often people will visit them for a refreshing dip

A golden glow on the horizon: The Estonian night sky really was something else, and I lost count how many shooting starts I saw. I love how you see the glow of the sun in the background

An endless summer: In summer the sun barely sets. During June and July, there's only a couple of hours of darkness a night. To highlight that, I took this photo at around 10pm

Through the window: I came across this random building right on the beach on Saaremaa Island. No doubt it would have the best views if it ever was restored

Beach time: Estonia boasts 1,400 kilometres of coastline making it not your average beach destination

Desolate but not deserted: Rummu quarry was used as a mining site for Vasalemma marble, but these days people use it as a summer destination for a spot of swimming and sunbathing

On and on and on: Estonia is incredibly flat making any photo seem like it goes on and on and on

The Bubble Hotel: This is a camping experience like no other. Out in Lihula Parish in the middle of Matsalu National Park is this inflatable bubble hotel which you get to sleep in for the night, and it really is just you and nature

Look familiar? The lighthouse at Kihnu was actually built and brought over from England in 1864, then re-assembled on the island. There's even a quaint English plaque outside commemorating the fact

Don't stray off the boardwalks: Boardwalks run through Soomaa National Park, and the only way you can walk on the bogs is with bog shoes (basically the same as snow shoes)

Leading lines: A huge focus of Estonian culture is on outdoor living with families building their own walls and even buildings too

A field of gold: Wherever you go in Estonia you'll come across field after field of crops

Shining through the trees: Muhu Church has been mentioned in history since 1267 making it a tourist attraction in its own right

Lit up at night: Dotted around the countryside are traditional windmills like this one at Vihula Manor which was built in 1860

A glassy reflection: One of the things to do in Soomaa National Park is go canoeing and kayaking. This is particularly popular during the parks own unique 5th season – the flooding season

Cut into the cliffs: Just above Rummu quarry, an hour outside of Tallinn, you can climb up the top of the limestone cliffs for the view of the prison

Tallinn from up above: Tallinn is the capital city of Estonia and it is the perfect place to spend a few days wandering around Old Town and seeing all the sites