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Latvia’s highest hill is the second highest in the Baltic States, but alas, it has only a wrecked viewing tower, so you’ll have to look for the best views on your own. You’ll find some around the tower and the ski trails, particularly Large and Small Golgotha. It is worth hiking the Gaiziņkalns nature trail.
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One of the few places in Latvia where there are so many well-organised pathways. The region is known for castle hills, the location where the great Latvian author Anna Brigadere (1861-1933) lived and worked, the storybook character figures that are scattered around that area, a great forest, an arboretum, a museum of history, a viewing tower, landscapes, etc. This has been recognised as the most family-friendly place in the country.
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This is a small area with lots of different terrains – high hillocks, distinct river valleys, thermal streams, continental dunes, etc.
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The Tērvete Nature Park is located in an area which is not particularly typical of the Zemgale region – the distinct Tērvete River valley. Along its banks there are vast forests which have been nicely adapted to leisure activities. There are natural treasures, as well as an outstanding cultural and historical heritage in the area. The Tērvete Nature Park is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Zemgale. People are interested in the Park of Old Pines, the lovely pine forest, the Sprīdīši arboretum, the Tērvete, Klosterkalns and Svētkalns castle hills, the memorial museum “Sprīdīši” which commemorates the great Latvian author Anna Brigadere, various attractions for children, lovely landscapes, a dense network of pathways, etc. The nature park was nominated as the most family-friendly location in Latvia in 2004. |
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4 km garā un marķētā taka iepazīstina ar dziļo Imulas ieleju – Abavas kreisā krasta pieteku. Īpaši iespaidīga ieleja izskatās bezlapu periodā, kad ir apjaušami tās izmēri un formas. Vēstures cienītāji var upes gultnē uzmeklēt Langsēdes Velna pēdas akmeni. Atrodas dabas parkā „Abavas senleja”. |
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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. |
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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 trail is 900m long, and the White Dune is ca 20m high. It has formed ca 6000 years ago, in the period of the Littorina Sea which is a foregoer of the Baltic Sea. Here the first Stone Age settlement on the North Western coast of Latvia has been found in 1934 by geologist S. Burhards. In the sand, some 500m from the sea, he found some pottery fragments, a sandstone hone, a piece of flint, parts of bones and an amber bead. He handed the findings over to the National Museum of History. In October 1934, the site was checked by archaeologist E. Šturms, who found the archaeological layer, typical for such settlements, in the landslides of the Pilsupe riverbanks. In 1936 he started larger excavations to continue by 1938. Totally seven, chronologically different settlements were detected and many artefacts found, including fragments of the so called Sārnate and pit-comb pottery, as well as some pieces of corded pottery. Based on these findings, the settlement is dated back to the beginning or middle of the 3rd millenary B.C., and it has been inhabited till the beginning of the 2nd millenary B.C. Especially remarkable are three clay figures in human shape which have probably been used for some religious cult purposes. Since 1993, archaeologist Ilzes Loze has discovered several pit-comb ware culture settlements in large area around Pūrciems village. They are known in research literature as „the Ģipka settlements”. |
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Engures apkaimē aug 22 no Latvijā sastopamajām 32 orhideju dzimtas sugām .Lai dabas parka apmeklētājiem dotu iespēju aplūkot šīs interesantās augu sugas, ierīkota Orhideju taka. Kopējais takas garums ir 3.5 km, tā sākas netālu no Engures Ornitoloģisko pētījumu centra, līkumo caur kalcifilajiem purviem un mežam putnu novērošanas torņa virzienā, un aizvijas tālāk gar atjaunoto ezera piekrastes pļavu, kurā mīt govis un zirgi. Takas sākumā novietotajā informācijas zīmē attēlotas ne tikai apkārtnē sastopamās orhidejas. Tur iespējams gūt daudzpusīgu informāciju arī par citām interesantām Engures ezera dabas parka augu sugām.
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The terrain in this territory was created during the Ice Age. There are the ancient river valleys of the Minija, Salantas and Erla rivers, along with groups of rocks.
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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.
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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. |
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This park is in a region of hillocks in the Karula highlands, and Lake Ähijärve is at its centre. The park offers a cultural environment of small farms, and it was set up to protect the unique cupola-shaped hillocks of the area. Main attractions: Scenic Lake Ähijärv (176ha), Rebasemõisa Tornimägi hill (137.8 m above sea level), undulating landscapes. |
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The Svene Nature Park is in the central part of the Augšzeme highlands, and Lake Svente is at its centre. This is one of the cleanest lakes in Latvia. There is also Egļukalns Hill, which offers one of the most beautiful views in all of Zemgale from its viewing tower. Visitors can gaze at the hillocks and lakes of the Svente area. Egļukalns Hill also has ski trails and a nature trail. |
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Kauņas jūras reģionālais parks (Kauno marių regioninis parkas) dibināts 1992. gadā. Tas ietver Nemunas HES uzpludināto posmu – lielāko Lietuvas ūdenskrātuvi no Kauņas līdz Piļonas (Piliuona) ciemam. Viena no nozīmīgākajām parka vērtībām ir ainava, kas veidojusies ilgā cilvēka un dabas mijiedarbībā. Parkā konstatētas 950 augu sugas, 600 dzīvnieku, t.sk. - 34 zivju sugas. Parka nozīmīgas dabas vērtības ir meži, augstie purvi, kadiķu audze. Parkā ir apskatāmi dažādu vēsturisko periodu liecinieki – senču pilskalni, Pažaislis klosteris, Kauņas cietokšņa Piektais forts, kā arī Rumšišķes (Rumšiškės) brīvdabas muzejs – viens no lielākajiem (195 ha) šāda veida muzejiem Eiropā. Vaišvīdavā (Vaišvydava) ir izveidots parka apmeklētāju centrs, parkā ir dabas takas, piemēram, Žiegždriai ģeoloģiskā taka un Dubravos izziņas taka. |
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The viewing area is near the top of the Vilce castle hill, with a view of the Rukūze River valley, Zaķi meadow, and surrounding forests. This is an unusual landscape for the region of Zemgale. The Vilce baronial estate is nearby.
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An important complex of the coastline and its sand dunes along with the mouths of three major rivers – the Lielupe, the Daugava and the Gauja. This area has ancient traditions of recreation and spa services. The territory has lovely shoreline landscapes and features one of the few coastline meadows in Latvia. The nature park includes several restricted areas – the meadows of the Lielupe estuary, Vakarbuļļi, Daugavgrīva, Vecdaugava and Ummis (see the section on “Restricted Natural Areas”). Interesting elements of nature in this area include the amphitheatre of the Garciems dunes, along with individual dunes such as the Legzdiņi dune and the so-called ski mountain dune. Visitors will be attracted by various cultural and historical monuments – fortifications on the Mangaļi peninsula, military buildings from the period of the Russian tsars all the way through the late period of the Soviet occupation, the fortress of Daugavgrīva, the Vecāķi spa with its old shoreline buildings, and the beaches at Daugavgrīva and Vecāķi. The proximity of the city of Rīga and various important recreational resources are the reason for the massive anthropogenic burden that is placed on this territory. The nature park is appropriate for active tourism (hiking, bicycling, boating, driving), distance skiing, nature and bird-watching, cultural tourism, passive leisure and educational tourism. There are nature trails at Daugavgrīva and the Rožu dunes, along with other elements of infrastructure. |
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The nature park in the Ogre River valley is found along the middle section of the river. It has been established so as to protect the unregulated river valley and its surrounding territory, as well as biological diversity and habitats. For instance, this is an area in which rare park-type meadows can be found in Latvia. The Ogre is one of Latvia’s most popular rivers for water tourism in the spring, particularly downriver from the town of Ērgļi, where the technically complicated Braži rapids are found. |
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The most important aspects of this park are a shallow lagoon-type lake – Lake Pape, with its flood land meadows, the shore of the Baltic Sea, the Nida swamp, and the more than 270 different types of birds that have been spotted here. The oldest bird ringing station in Latvia (est. 1966) is found between Lake Pape and the Baltic Sea. Birds and bats are caught and ringed there. Lake Pape is the first place in Latvia where so-called “wild” horses (the “Konik” breed) were released with the aim of managing the flood land meadows.
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This park is found in the Otepää highlands and offers an outstanding example of how the terrain of a protected natural territory can be used for recreation, sports and active leisure. The infrastructure of the park is perfect for such activities and is of a high level of quality.
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The tower is on the banks of the little Tērvete River, with a view of the river valley and surrounding forests. Good views of the Tērvete River valley are also available from the nearby Zviedru Hill and the Tērvete castle hill. Note: The viewing tower at the Tērvete Ancient History Museum is not open to visitors!
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