Selected objects

No	Name	Description
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	A viewing area on Greili Hill	As you travel from Kandava to Sabile, you will find a parking lot on the right side of the road. From there, there are steps to a viewing area on the highest hill in the Abava Ancient River Valley – Greiļi Hill. This offers a wonderful view of the ancient river valley and the local mosaic of meadows and forests. The landscape is enriched by the Imula and Amula valleys that are on the other side of the ancient river valley.
	The Naujene castle hill	The Naujene castle hill is on the steep bank of the Daugava River, is up to 25 metres high and has two valleys on its sides. Between 1275 and 1277, the master of the Livonian Order, Ernst von Ratzenburg, organised the construction of a brick castle to replace a Lettigalian wooden castle that had stood there before. The castle had a drawbridge and an external and internal forecastle. Until the middle part of the 16th century, the castle was the residence of one of the top officials in Dünaburg. The forces of Ivan the Terrible sacked the castle in 1577, after which the location lost its strategic importance. New fortifications were built in the location that is now the city of Daugavpils. Alongside the ruins of the castle is a miniature model that helps to imagine the appearance of the location many centuries ago. A well-appointed pathway leads from the car park to the castle hill. The hill offers one of the loveliest views of the curvy Daugava River and its surrounding nature park.
	Viewing areas near the Buse castle hill	The Buse (Matkule) castle hill is near the Imula River. From the castle hill and from the opposite shore of the river, you can find one of the loveliest views of Kurzeme’s small rivers. Their appearance is best when trees and other flora are bare and the view is unimpeded. A wonderful view of the Imula valley is also seen on the road to the castle hill – near the Buse homestead.
	Dole Island	The Dole is the largest island in the Daugava River, surrounded to the Northeast by the rapid waters of the Daugava and to the Southwest by calm and gradually overgrown waters from Dry Daugava. The island is a specially protected nature park, established in 1986 to protect the landscape and cultural and historical values of the island in the wake of the construction of the Rīga hydroelectric power plant, as well as rare and protected species of plants and animals. The island is also meant to provide education and leisure for visitors. Best known on the island is the Daugava Museum, which is in the mansion of the old Dole Estate. The museum features some 13,000 exhibits that speak to the history of the island and the river – Baltic and Livonian apparel, tools and household objects. The exhibition also presents the Daugava as an important waterway and the related history of forms of transport and rafters. In the park is an open-air exhibition with reconstructed lamprey eel traps and a barrier to fish salmon, along with a set of fishing tools. A dolomite cliff is alongside the museum on the steep shore of the Dry Daugava. The ruins of the Vecdole castle can be found on the south-eastern end of the island, near Bēči.
	Daugavas ieleja	The nature park in the Daugava River valley is the only place between the cascades of the Daugava hydroelectric power plants there is still a chance to see the Daugava River valley and the ravines of its tributaries as they appeared before the area was flooded so that the power plants could be constructed. Particularly lovely views are found on the right bank of the river near the Aizkraukle church and castle hill. Forests, meadows, origins of streams and small dolomite cliffs in this area are all protected biotopes. Leisure facilities have been installed on the Aizkraukle castle hill, and the Aizkraukle castle ruins are not far away.
	Pinku ezers	It is rare type of lake in Latvia and there are only of few this type of lakes in Kurzeme region. The lake is characterized by high water limpidness (very attractive for tourists) and very rare plant species for Latvia. Nature park includes the lake, costal area and forest on the East from the lake, few smaller lakes and Sarlote Pond. There are several tourist accommodations located around the lake.
	The Mezotne castle hill	The Mežotne castle hill is on the left bank of the Lielupe River and opposite the Mežotne Castle. This was one of the largest Semigalian fortified castle hills during the 9^th to the 13^th century, and an ancient town alongside the hill covered 13 ha of land. The castle hill has been improved. A pontoon bridge across the Lielupe allows hikers and bikers to reach the castle (between May and October). Vīna Hill is approximately 500 m to the South of the castle hill, and a wooden pathway leads to it.
	A bird-watching tower at Mersrags	The viewing tower is in a seaside meadow near Mērsrags. It is an unusual type of biotope in Latvia and is located to the North of the Mērsrags port. The tower offers a good view of reed-filled meadows, areas where wild cattle have grazed, and an amazing wealth of different kinds of plants.
	Mersraga baka	Kuģinieku drošībai 1875. g. celtā bāka stipri cieta 1. pasaules kara laikā. Savu tagadējo izskatu tā ieguva pēc atjaunošanas 1922. g. Bākas uguns atrodas 21,3 m v.j.l. un tās detaļas savulaik vestas no Francijas. Pie bākas ieejas 1975. g. uzstādīta piemiņas plāksne par godu bākas simtgadei. Pie bākas atrodas bijušās padomju armijas militārās bāzes atliekas.
	Uzavas lejtece	Open landscape area within farming lands on both banks of Uzava River about 10 km before it flows into the Baltic Sea. There is a good open view over the area from the Vendzava-Ziri road going through the nature park. Protection of migratory birds and corncrakes has been one of the main reasons for establishment of the nature park. Bird watching is possible from the road Vendzava-Ziri during migration period in spring and fall. There is no tourist infrastructure in the nature park.
	Embutes dabas parks	Embūtes dabas parks, saukts par Embūtes senleju, ir viena no skaistākajām, interesantākajām un noslēpumainākajām Kurzemes vietām. Nav Latvijā otras tādas vietas, kur ieejas vārtus dabas parka teritorijā simbolizē stilizēti zobeni ar vairogiem ceļa abās pusēs, radot mītisku un cienījamu noskaņu. Par Embūtes apkārtnes vēsturi stāsta daudzas teikas un leģendas. Viena no pazīstamākajām ir romantiskā teika par kuršu vadoņa Induļa un vācu komtura meitas Ārijas mīlestību. Vietā, kur viņi pirmoreiz tikušies joprojām atrodas Ārijas un Induļa ozoli. Embūtes dabā parkā ieteicams apskatīt - ekotūrisma taku, Embūtes viduslaiku pilsdrupas, Embūtes luterāņu baznīcas mūrus, Induļa pilskalnu, Pilskalna avotiņu, Induļa un Ārijas ozolu. Dabas parks aprīkots ar labiekārtotu pastaigu taku, skatu platformām, skatu torni, labierīcībām un atpūtas vietu.
	Tourism trails at Embute	Here the visitor will find an ecological tourism trail in the ancient Embūte valley. The hills around Embūte date back to the Ice Age. There are valleys and forests of many fallen trees which are protected habitats. The visitor will learn about important natural and cultural monuments – the Embūte castle hill, as well as the ruins of a baronial estate, a castle and a church. The Courlandian chieftain Indulis died in the region. The visitor can view the Devil’s Dam, along with meadows, a viewing tower, etc. There are bicycler routes in the region. The site is located in the Embūte nature park.
	NUMERENES VALNA SKATU TORNIS	Atrodas Numerenes dabas parka teritorijā. 20 m augstais tornis uzbūvēts uz t.s. Numerenes vaļņa, no kura paveras plaša ainava un aizaugošām lauksaimniecības zemēm un nelielu mitrāju ar Kugreņa ezeru austrumu virzienā. Torņa apkaimē izveidota izziņas taka.
	A viewing tower on Kamparkalns Hill	The wooden tower was built and stands 28 metres high. It is at the top of the highest hillock of the Northern Courlandian Highlands – Kamparkalns Hill (175 metres above sea level). The tower offers one of the loveliest views in the region of the hillocks of Talsi. On a clear day, you can see all the way to the Bay of Rīga and Talsi.
	The Mouth of River Gauja	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 3^rd 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
	Cuzu purva taka	Teritorijas apskates nolūkos ir izveidota un labiekārtota dabas izziņas taka. Dabas liegums atrodas Abavas senlejas dabas parka teritorijā. Taka iepazīstina ar vienīgo krūmu čužas savvaļas augšanas vietu Latvijā.
	Ragakapa	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.
	The Nature Trail of Pape	The nature trail was built in 2003 supported by the WWF, the Latvian Environment Protection Fund, the International volunteering organization supporting conservation initiatives in the United Kingdom (BTCV) involving volunteers from Nīca and Rucava municipal parishes. The trail exposes the surrounding landscapes and related biotopes – dunes, forest, grasslands and bog, as well as bird and animal species found there. On the trail, there is a bird watching tower and two birdwatcher hides. You can see the rivers Paurupe and Līgupe, beaver activity areas, grasslands, black alder forest, spruce forest, floodland, wild horses, aurochs, the Šķilu lime tree, the Holy Grove, the Ezerskolas sacrificial stone, the Pape ornithological field station, the Papes polder grasslands and the Pape lighthouse. There are resting places en route. The trail leads through the historical Ķoņu village with the traditional coastal fishing village architecture of buildings and yards. The trail is 9 km (5 km one way by a gravel road, returning 4km along the coastline). The trail is in the Pape nature park
	Dridza ezers	This nature park is located in the most distinct part of the Dagda hillocks of the Latgale highlands. Part of it is the deepest lake in the Baltic States -- Lake Drīdzis, which is 63.1 metres deep and has nine islands. Also there is Lake Otis. The loveliest views can be watched from the ancient Lettigalian castle hill that is known as Sauleskalns, and from the eastern shores of Lake Drīdzis. Accommodations are available near the lake.
	Talsu pauguraine	This nature park features the most beautiful and distinct parts of the Vanema hillocks in Northern Kurzeme, and the aim is to protect the hillocks of Talsi. This is one of the loveliest parts of Kurzeme, with small but distinct hillocks and ravines among them. There are small but fairly deep lakes in the area – the Lake Ābeļi, Lake Čumals, Lake Sirdsezers, etc. Some of them are reminiscent of nothing other than deep craters. The territory is very good for active tourists – hikers (there are nature trails), bicyclists, etc.