No Name Description

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.

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This nature park covers an area of the Baltic Sea coast and part of newly established sea protected area "Nida - Pērkone" with sand dunes which once used to move around but have now settled. These are the highest dunes in Latvia. Visitors will enjoy the coastal landscape, sandy beaches and small fishing villages of the area. A nature trail has been established on Pūsēni Hill (one of the highest dunes in Latvia) for those who wish to tour the nature park.

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Tītuvēnu reģionālais parks (Tytuvėnų regioninis parkas) dibināts 1992. gadā. Parkam raksturīga ainavu daudzveidība – te ir sastopami lieli mežu masīvi, purvi, ezeri, upītes. Šejienes reljefa veidotājs tāpat kā citur Baltijas valstīs ir bijis ledājs, kas atnesis un atstājis aiz sevis garas laukakmeņu grēdas. Kopumā parkā ir konstatētas 603 augu un 787 dzīvnieku sugas. Parkā aug veci un dabiski boreālie (ziemeļu) meži, veci un jaukti platlapju meži ar ozoliem, liepām, kļavām, ošiem un gobām, sugām bagāti egļu meži, staignāju meži, nogāžu un gravu meži, purvaini meži un aluviālie (pārplūstošie) meži. Parkā esošās pļavas un tīrumi ir nozīmīga dzērvju atpūtas vieta migrāciju laikā, kad te pulcējās tūkstošiem putnu. Šiluvas baznīca un Tītuvēnu klosteris ir svētceļnieku galamērķis vairāk nekā 500 gadu garumā. 

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This is one of the highest points among the hillocks of the Selonian area of Zemgale – Borīškalns Hill. From the tower, you will see Lake Sauka, as well as the forests and farmland which surround it. The “Kalna Ļūdāni” farm is nearby, and its owner uses his livestock to help to maintain the surrounding landscape.
10036a

This nature park is one of the richest and most unusual nature parks in Latvia in terms of its natural resources, the surrounding environment, the landscapes, the biological diversity of the area, and the cultural monuments which are found there. The main treasure there is the little-changed Daugava River valley, where there are eight major curves in the river at a length of four to eight kilometres. There are also the gullies of river tributaries. Outstanding views can be found on the steep shores of the Daugava River valley, particularly the Slutiški and Ververi cliffs and the Elerne gravel hill. There are some 20 archaeological monuments on the shores of the valley -- ancient castle hills at Najene, Markova, Vecračina, etc., countless churches -- the Juzefova, Sprukti, Borovka, Elerne, Sīķele, Kaplava and other churches, the Rozališki, Lielborne and other baronia estates, and the unique village of Slutiški, which is home to the Old Believers. There are interesting nature trails and bicycling trails in the area. Horseback riding is available, and there is a viewing tower along with other elements for tourists. Boating down the Daugava River is an interesting way to spend time.

10031a

The Dviete Wetlands Nature Park contains a unique natural territory – the ancient Dviete River valley with the Lake Skuķi and the Lake Dviete and the surrounding wetland meadows. During flooding season, these wetlands store up waters from the Daugava River. They absorb a lot of floodwater at first and then slowly return it, thus reducing the level of floods in the Daugava River valley. This process is the reason for the unique ecosystem which exists in this area. It is an important location for plants and birds both during migration and nesting season. The river valley is important for birds during migration and nesting. In 2006, wild cows were released into the meadows. There is also work to improve the tourist infrastructure in the area.

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In the central part of the Žemaitija Highland, this park was established to protect local landscapes. Lithuania’s highest hillocks are found here – Mėdvegalis (235 m above sea level) and Šatrija (229 m). There are also other hillocks which offer a great view of the area – make up your own tour here.
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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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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 viewing tower is on the western part of the Blue Hills of Ogre, not far from the Dubkalni quarry.  Paths lead to the tower, as does a wooden staircase.  The viewing platform offers a very broad view of the Ķegums hydroelectric power plant reservoir and the towers of Rīga.  The platform is part of the nature park of the Blue Hills of Ogre.

 

 

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The park was established to protect the Venta River valley and the landscapes that are around its tributaries. On the west bank of the Venta, at Papilė, there is a cliff from the Jurassic period which is unique in the Baltic States, has been known since 1925, and has layers in which more than 300 forms of life have been identified over the course of time.
10019a

The Bauska Nature Park runs for several dozen kilometres along the Lielupe River and its tributaries – the Mūsa and the Mēmele. This is a protected territory. The shores of these rivers contain some of the largest dolomite cliffs in Zemgale. These are protected both as biotopes and as geological monuments. The rivers are important places for river lampreys and vimbas to spawn. Tourists will be attracted by the cultural landscape of the area, as well as the cultural monuments such as the Bauska castle, the Jumpravmuiža park, the Mežotne castle hill, Vīna Hill, the Mežotne castle, etc. The rivers are used for water tourism.

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The Wine Hill of Sabile has been known since the age of the Duchy of Courland as the northernmost place where grapes were grown to produce more or less sour wine for the duchy. A wine festival has been held each year during the latter half of July in Sabile since 1999. The hill offers an excellent view of the small town that is on the banks of the ancient Abava River Valley.

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One of the most attractive and informative nature trails in the environs of Rīga. It leads the visitor around the 17-metre Ragakāpa dune, which is most interesting. People can learn about the habitats of the dune areas and the plants and animals of the area. Some of the pine trees are as much as 100 years old and more. The trail is 2km long in each direction and will take some two hours to traverse. This is part of the Ragakāpa nature park.
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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.

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Folkloras taka "Jāņkalni" iepazīstina ar mūsu senču rakstiem, zīmēm un dievībām, kas ir mūsu folkloras mantojums. Folkloras takas (garums: apm. 1,5 km vai 2 stundas) mērķis ir arī iepazīstināšana ar senlatviešu ieražām, folkloru, kā arī tautu dainu izprašana. Piedāvā iziet Latvijas karti - labirintu ar 19 etnogrāfiskajiem novadiem. Gids Jums sniegs izsmeļošu stāstījumu un atbildes uz interesējošiem jautājumiem.
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2015. gadā uzceltais skatu tornis atrodas dabas parkā „Daugavas loki”, Daugavas ielejas kreisajā krastā – Daugavpils novada Vescalienas pagastā. No torņa aplūkojama izcilā Daugavas loku ainava.

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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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The Sunset trail starts in the centre of Saulkrasti town and takes you to the White Dune. Saulkrasti town with its municipal rural territory, occupies a 17km long stretch of coastal land to the North from the river Lilaste and the lake Lilaste.

The White Dune stands on the right side of river Inčupe mouth. It is covered by old pine forest. The white, 18m high sand outcrop in olden times served as a landmark for fishermen. The White Dune formed as winds carried the sand from the beach over clay sediments of the Baltic Ice Lake. Some 150-200 years ago, the dune had been drifting as witnessed by several layers of soil buried within it. Local fishermen and farmers at Bātciems initiated afforestation of the drifting dunes. At that time, the 30m high dunes which are now covered with forest, were bare, shifting and even buried a farmstead. To speed up afforestation, mountain pines were planted. The White Dune was partly washed away in heavy storm in 1969, and 4-6m high precipice formed. Now the wind and sand have levelled out the dune surface, it has been fixed with willow-twigs or grown with forest where the largest pines are more than 170-190 years old. The pines are notable with their large trunks and branches, the scars obtained during their lifetime and the typical “crocodile skin” – the bark forms rhombuses resembling those of the reptile’s scales. Scots Pine (Pinus Silvestris) is one of the most common tree species in Latvia. It grows in dry, meagre sandy soil in dunes as well as in marsh. However, it does not stand overshadowing. Forest fires help pines to get rid of competitors as pine endures fire better than other trees because of its thick bark and high crown. The wood exudes resin and burned wounds close soon. Fire cleans space for seedlings of young pines. Pines can live 300-350 years.

Ground cover in dune forests is very sensitive. If the sparse vegetation is destroyed, not only the natural biodiversity and landscape is damaged, but also the dangerous shifting dunes can possibly “wake up”.

Embryonic dunes, White (yellow) dunes, Grey dunes and Wooded dunes are EU protected biotopes. Grey Dunes are protected by Latvian law as well.
A wooden trail with watching platform is built to protect the White Dune and to facilitate the sightseeing. In winter, a skiing trail in the vicinity of the White Dune is arranged.

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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.