Near the place where the Kilmiņupe River flows into the sea is the legendary Trommel castle hill, which was a Medieval fortification.  It is some 100 m from the Kraujas homestead.  An archaeological dig in 1977 found fragments of bricks and pot-bellied stoves, which suggests that the fortifications date back to the Middle Ages.  The location also is linked to stories about a pirate, Trommel, who buried his loot here.  The holes in the area have been left behind by treasure hunters.  Trommel supposedly robbed ships in the Bay of Rīga from the shores of Kurzeme to Roņu Island.  Many ships docked here in ancient times, waiting for better winds so that they could pass by Cape Kolka.  The pirate made use of this fact, also pillaging property from sunken ships.  It is said that Trommel lived in a stone castle. (Source: Roja TIC)

This was an island after the Rīga hydroelectric power plant created a reservoir, and before that it was a peninsula on the Left Bank of the Daugava.  During World War I, there were massive battles between Latvian Riflemen and a much larger German army on Death Island.  On December 25, 1916, the Germans used poisonous gas against the Latvian troops.  In honour of this, the architect Eižens Laube designed a monument to fallen Latvian riflemen on the northern shore of Death Island.  It was unveiled in 1924.  Death Island can be reached by boat, and the trenches and graves there are of interest.  There is a pier for boats on the north-western shore of the island, and nearby is a location for leisure.  Some of the trenches and dugouts have recently been restored.  The battles were described by Aleksandrs Grīns in his masterpiece, “Snowstorm of Souls.”

Die Straße führt durch die ehemaligen Fischerdörfer. Eine bessere Radfahr-Alternative auf der Strecke zwischen Häädemeeste und Ainaži.

The cosy land road along the sea is 1 km long, and it offers a look at the wonderful aspects of the village.  To the right are rocks from the sea, as well as miniature flower gardens on the seashore with tempting benches and overturned boats.  On the side of the shore is the Kaltene library, which is more than 100 years ago.  It was initially a summer home for Baron Nolken, and it was built in 1899.  Later it was rebuilt several times and took on new roles.  An elementary school was installed here in 1926, after which it became a club and then, in 1992, a primary school once again.  The path runs along beautiful seashore homesteads, among which one can find the former homes of old fishermen and ship builders such as Burliņi.  At one time, the Žulnieki portage at Smilgas was the site of  the kiln of blacksmith Pēteris Valdemārs.  He was the main blacksmith for ships between Kaltene and Upesgrīve. (Source: Roja TIC)

Parkā blakus pusloka tiltiņam ir novietotas trīs milzīgas dzelzs atslēgas, kuras balsta akmens mūris un metāla arkas. Tās simbolizē trīs vēsturiskos centrus un to vienotību – Siguldu, Turaidu, Krimuldu. Dobēs pie šī objekta sezonāli zied dažādi kultūraugi. 

No Vilces muižas pa pastaigu taku var aiziet līdz pilskalnam (12 m virs apkārtnes, labiekārtots), kas atrodas Vilces un Rukūzes upīšu satekā. Atradumi liecina, ka cilvēku apmetne šeit ir pastāvējusi jau vidējā dzelzs laikmetā. Pilskalna piekājē atrodas atpūtai labiekārtotā Zaķu pļava. Nostāsti vēsta, ka Vilces grava bijusi laupītāja Kaupēna slēpšanās vieta.

Neliela apdzīvota un ainaviska vieta plašajā Skrobļa (Skroblus) strauta ielejā. Ciema austrumu pusē atrodas Lietuvas mērogā unikāls objekts – klēts - rija, kur no 1929. g. vietējie cilvēki uzveda un skatījās lauku teātra izrādes. Netālu no tās (uz abiem objektiem ir norādes) atrodas Skrobļa avoti (Skroblaus versmės), kas iztek no dziļas starppauguru ieplakas. Avotu gan ir appludinājis bebru uzceltais dambis. Dienvidos no ciema atrodas vecs grants karjers, kas ir viena no retajām vietām Baltijā, kur dabā ir atrodami krama ieža gabali, kas atnesti ar ledāju.

Stupeļu Hill is 3 km to the South of the Vecumnieki-Ilūkste road. There are no signs, so the castle hill might be difficult to find. The Great Stupeļu Rock, which is discussed further on in this guidebook, is also hard to find when there is vegetation. Stupeļu Hill is approximately 30 m high, and it was one of the highest castle hills in the historical district of Selonia. Archaeologists say that it was first abandoned at the beginning of our era and then populated again during the late Iron Age. It is interesting that iron was extracted and processed near the castle hill. Archaeologists believe that this is the site of one of the earliest “cities” in the region. To the West of the hill is the Great Stupeļu Rock, which is 6.7 m long, 5.6 m wide and up to 2.7 m high. Above ground, it is 35 m³ large, and it may have been a cult location. During archaeological digs in the late 1970s, antiquities from the 10^th to the 13^th century were found here.

Neliela apdzīvota vieta nacionālā parka ziemeļrietumu daļā, kur kādreiz atradusies Rebases muiža. Mūsdienās no tās saglabājušās klēts atliekas, pie kurām apskatāms interesants vēstures liecinieks – sens akmens, ko izmantoja kulšanas procesā (Peksukivi).