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The Grey Dune of Pāvilosta nature reserve covers 42 hectares of land and has been designated to protect Latvia’s widest dune (1.5 km parallel the seacoast, and 812m in the direction from the sea to inland) and the biotopes and species found there. A two-storied watching platform is built to savour the scenery.

 In Soviet time, local fishermen used to dry seaweed in dunes for production of agar, and thus rich vegetation developed in the dune. The Gray Dune is part of a unique landscape with the sea view, the traditional architecture of Pāvilosta fishing town, and biotopes, including protected, which border the nature reserve: pine forest, embryonic dunes, white dunes, and wet beech where once can find springs. Biotope 2130, “Fixed dunes with herbaceous vegetation (grey dunes)” is found here. At present, pines are taking over the biotope, therefore some maintenance activities are required. The Grey Dune is most beautiful in the second half of July and in August when the blossoming Breckland Thyme (Thymus serpyllum) and Narrowleaf Hawkweed (Hieracium umbellatum) colour the dune in shades of yellow and violet. The most typical species here are Pasqueflower (Pulsatilla pretense), Grey Hair-grass(Corynephorus canescens), Blue Hair Grass (Koeleria glauca), Sand Pink (Dianthus arenarius).

The Gray Dune earned wide recognition when a group of enthusiasts actively campaigned for six years to achieve the status of the nature reserve. Guna Grimsta, a group representative remembers that they organised events and activities throughout Latvia involving large part of the society, prominent personalities, church parishes, NGOs, school youth and university students. The activists were writing letters, making videos, doing research articles, composing music, collecting signatures and submitting proposals to achieve official status of the Grey Dune as an especially protected nature site. They organised seminars, concerts, art plenaires and exhibitions, educational excursions, joint-work, musical church services, meetings with high officials and their on-site visits to the Gray Dune.

In 2006 the group received the title „Proudness of Latvia” awarded by the national TV3 broadcasting company and daily paper „Diena”.
The nature reserve „Gray Dune of Pāvilosta” was established in October 30, 2007. It is the most recent Natura2000 site in Latvia.

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The White Dune is one of the landmarks of Saulkrasti, on the Vidzeme gulf coast. The dune offers a splendid view of the sea, the mouth of the Inčupe River and the vast beach. The White Dune formed as the wind drove beach sand over the clay silt of Baltic Ice Lake. Its white 18 meters high sand outcrop once helped local fishermen find their way home. The dune got its name from its white, hardened layers of sand which look like sandstone.
In White Dune are set up following Nature Design objects: "Entrance gates" which symbolizes White Dune and its fragility. On the wall of this object an information about White Dune are exposed. "Frīda the Hedgehog" and "Fredis the Rabbit"- both objects invite people to be polite when visiting nature sites and not to throw rubbish on the ground as well as to be quiet in the forest. "The bug trail" which helps to understand that humans are not the only one creatures in the nature. "Listening device" which is made in the form of trumpet and helps to listen into the sounds of sea and wind. The approximately 4 kilometers long Sunset Trail winds from the White Dune to the center of Saulkrasti.

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The mouth of the most beautiful river of Vidzeme. On the seashore between the mouths of River Gauja and River Daugava, one of the largest dune ranges in Latvia with distinctive parabolic dunes overgrown with forest (wooded dunes) is situated. The Mouth of River Gauja is unique as it is one of the few major rivers in Latvia and in EU countries to flow into the sea naturally. There is no harbour or other hydro-engineering construction. It is a popular recreation area in the vicinity of Riga and Saulkrasti while, unfortunately, the lack of infrastructure makes it suffer from anthropogenic load.

Not far from the rivermouth, hidden in dunes, there are pillboxes which were built in 1920 or 30ies as anti-airborne barriers. There was a whole range of them along the coastline from the mouth of the River Lielupe to the mouth of the River Gauja forming a part of the Daugavgrīva Fortress fortifications. The pillbox is made of concrete, ca 1.5m thick.

Every year, on the 3rd Sunday in August, a lamprey festival takes place in Carnikava town by the Gauja rivermouth. Carnikava is called the Lamprey Capital as it is famous for its lamprey fishing tradition and generous catches.

The Mouth of the River Gauja is a good bird-watching area, especially in spring and autumn when one can observe the highest variety of species. Just few of the many bird species that can be observed near the Gauja rivermouth

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The Green Dune is beyond the Krāči hills (Krāckalni) and is the second most distinct dune formation in the national park. It runs for more than three kilometres, separating the Raganu and Zaļais swamps. An old earthen road is at the foot of the dune, and that’s the basis for the route.
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In the dunes of Lapmežciems, one still can find interesting historical monuments of fishermen life – ‘sedums’ – former fishing boat piers, where fishermen built their net huts and kept inventory. From here they went to the sea and came back, and, while fishnets where drying on the poles, men were discussed things.

The ‘sedums’ of Lapmežciems is under the status of architectural heritage of local importance and is waiting for reconstruction. Today, there are three huts, well seen from the sea. If you look for the place coming by the main road, there is a landmark – a metal bull installed to advertise a local metal working company. The road passing it leads straight to the “sedums” and to the beach. In the nearby Ragaciems village, the local fishermen have reconstructed, with own labour and money, some old net huts in memory of their grandfathers. Reconstruction is still going on, and the already rebuilt net huts have been put in active use.

 Lapmežciems is also a promising bird watching site because here migrating birds are attracted by seaweed cast ashore.

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The trail climbs up and down along the bluffs of lower River Pilsupe and reveals a fascinating sight of three white dune exposures (the largest is called the White Dune). The dune range has formed in the period of the Littorina Sea several thousands of years ago. The time required to walk the trail is ~0.3 h. Evidence of Stone Age settlements have been found in the vicinity. 

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The nature reserve “Plieņciema kāpa” is founded in 1987 and covers 60.6 hectares of land. Since 2005 it is a Natura2000 site. The nature reserve protects a 150-200m wide and 3.5km long part of a distinct, continuous dune rampart. The dunes shelter Plieņciems village protecting from sea winds. The key natural values here are rare and protected biotopes of national and European significance: “Wooded dunes of the coast 2180” in the area of 61.8 ha, “Fixed dunes with herbaceous vegetation, 2130 (grey dunes)” in the area of 8.27 ha, “Shifting dunes along the shoreline with Ammophila arenaria (white dunes) 2120 in the area of 3.20 ha”, “Black alder swamp forests 9080”, ) in the area of 2,68 ha, as well as rare and protected species of Latvian and European significance including eastern pasqueflower (pulsatilla patens), Rolling Hen-and-chicks(Jovibarba sobolifera), Nothorhina muricata, Wryneck (Jynx torquilla), Woodlark (Lullula arborea).

In the nature reserve, there is a “Vabu square” – a deflation in the dune where for centuries local fishermen have been drying nets. In the 18th and 19th centuries ships were built here. Nine ships have been built here in 1882 - 1925. The four-masted gaff-rigged schooner with hoisting engine “Eurasia” was completed in 1925, the largest ship built by the Kurzeme fishermen. It was one of the works of Martin Morgenstern (1866-1945), a famous shipbuilding master.

Thanks to dunes, Plieņciems village was a popular holiday resort and has been mentioned in written sources already in 1738. Clergymen and landlords with their families used to stay here. In 1808, a merchant from Riga bought the local pub and replaced it with a massive two-storey building with a large ball-room and dining hall. On July 15, 1810, a sea bathing facility was opened for health treatment. For arrival of the empress Elisabeth Alexeievna, the wife of emperor Alexander I of Russia, who was a grandson of Catherine the Great, the road from Tukums town was repaired, the two highest hills were levelled, a road passage was dug across the Plieņciems dune, and a lime-tree alley was planted to facilitate access to the beach and bathing spot. Later, in 1920ies, the resort circles consisted mainly of the Kurzeme region landlords. There was a dance-floor in the park of Plieņciems village, and a special orchestra played music for resort guests three times a day.

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The nature park in the city of Jūrmala was set up to protect dune, pine forest and shoreline habitats. This park features one of the most attractive nature trails in the Rīga area, and it is found near the famous Ragakāpa dune, which can be as much as 17 metres high. This is an excellent opportunity to study dune habitats and the plants, birds, insects, etc., which live there. Visitors can also see pine trees that are 100 years old and older.