Other natural areas

The Dviete ancient river valley is a unique territory of environmental, cultural and historical importance between Kaldabruņas, Bebrene and Dviete. The small Dviete River flows through the ancient river valley, through Lake Skuķi and Lake Dviete, and through the wetland meadows that are alongside the valley. During flooding season, these wetlands store up water from the Daugava River, rapidly absorbing masses of floodwater and then slowly returning the water to the river. The views during wet springs are incomparable to anything else that can be seen in Latvia. The specifics of the shifting water level in the ancient river valley are the reason why this is an important place for plants and birds during migration and nesting season. The Dviete Wetlands Nature Park has been set up to protect the territory. It is interesting that higher areas which do not disappear underwater during the floods are known as islands. Archaeologists who have studied the Dviete ancient river valley have found 15 possible settlements of the ancients (from the Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age). They found a wealth of ancient objects of various kinds. There is reason to believe that this is one of the oldest and most important settlements in what is now southern Latvia.

This is an open territory which is 3.5 km long and 2 km wide.  It is located on the left bank of the Lielupe River between the village of Pavasari and the Odiņi homestead.  The polder was established during the Soviet era to obtain farmland, and back then it was used very intensively.  Today, it is slowly becoming overgrown, and despite this, this is one of the most important locations in Europe for corn-crakes.  A gravel road crosses the polder from the North to the South, and this is an excellent place to hear the songs of the corn-crake.

The Gauja National Park, established in 1973, was Latvia’s first national park, and it has a wealth of tradition in environmental protection and tourism. Indeed, the GNP is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Latvia. The main “artery” of the park is the ancient Gauja River valley, which was left behind when Ice Age glaciers receded. The valley is 95 kilometres long, with many tributaries that are also in deep ravines with massive sandstone cliffs from the Devonian period. The deepest part of the river valley is at Sigulda, where it is 85 metres deep.

The territory has a great diversity of species – some 900 plant species in all. The Gauja is Latvia’s most popular river for water tourism, and many tourist accommodations are found along its shores. The Gauja National Park is one of the best-appointed protected territories in Latvia in terms of nature trails and tourism routes. Nature trails at Līgatne pass along paddocks of wild animals – the largest and most complete object of its kind in the Baltic States. The park also features cultural monuments of pan-Baltic importance – the Turaida Museum Reserve, the medieval old town of the city of Cēsis with its famous castle ruins and St John’s Church, the lake castle at Āraiši, etc. Visitors centres are found in Sigulda, along the Līgatne nature trails, and at the Zvārte rock. The administration of the GNP is building a new and modern visitors centre in Sigulda.

Abavas senlejas posms no Kandavas līdz tās ietekai Ventā ir ainaviskā un reljefa ziņā izteiksmīgākais upes ielejas posms Kurzemes novadā. Abavas ielejas dziļums sasniedz 30 – 40 m, platums – līdz pat 300 un vairāk metriem. Teritorija izceļas ne tikai ar lielu bioloģisko (> 800 augu sugu) un biotopu daudzveidību, dabas pieminekļiem – avotiem, ūdenkritumiem, iežu atsegumiem, dižakmeņiem, bet arī ar daudzajiem kultūrasvēstures pieminekļiem – pilskalniem, baznīcām, senkapiem, kultūrainavu, kā arī mazpilsētām – Kandavu un Sabili, kuru centri ir pilsētbūvniecības pieminekļi. Sabiles Vīnakalns un Pedvāles mākslas brīvdabas muzejs ir ļoti populāri tūrisma objekti. Kultūras vērtību aizsardzības nolūkos izveidota kultūrvēsturiskā teritorija „Abavas ieleja”. Lai „uzturētu” ielejas ainavu, Drubazās un Tēvkalnos „saimnieko” dzīvei savvaļā pielāgotie mājlopi. Tūristiem izveidotas dabas takas, bet Abava ir populārākā Kurzemes ūdenstūristu upe. Diemžēl, neskatoties uz ārkārtīgi lielo tūrisma un resursu potenciālu Latvijas mērogā, tie šobrīd ir nepietiekami minimāli izmantoti.

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.

This territory is on both sides of the central section of the Raķupe River. On the banks of the river, there are many different meadow habitats, as well as massive oaks growing in the places of former farmsteads which are uninhabited by now. This is an important place for rare plants and animals. There is no tourism infrastructure for visitors in the area. Visitors who are especially interested in the environmental cognition are advised to visit the territory in attendance of experienced local guide. Raķupe is not usable for water tourism because of tilts of trees and beaver dams.

По количеству природных ресурсов, ландшафтов, биологического разнообразия и памятников культуры – один из самых богатых и ландшафтно самых необычных природных парков Латвии, главная «ценность» которого – это практически нетронутая долина среднего течения Даугавы с восьмью большими излучинами (длина 4 – 8 км) и оврагами ее притоков. Великолепные виды открываются с крутых берегов Даугавы, в частности с обрывов Слутишкю и Верверу, а также с гравийной горы Элернес. На берегах долины находятся более двух десятков различных памятников археологии, древние городища – Науенес, Марковас, Вецрачинас и др., многочисленные храмы – Юзефовас, Спрукту, Боровкас, Элернес, Сикелес, Каплавас и др., поместья (Розалишкю, Лиелборнес и др.), а также уникальная обжитая старообрядческая деревня Слутишки, в которой для посетителей создана музейная экспозиция. На территории парка находятся также интересные природные тропы, велосипедные маршруты, можно отправиться в поход на лошадях. Недавно в Краславе была построена новая современная смотровая вышка. Увлекателен спуск по Даугаве на лодках. Природный парк входит в состав большей особо охраняемой природной территории – в охраняемую ландшафтную местность Аугшдаугавы.

The Kaļķupe River valley was established as the Pilsupe River (formed by Kaļķupe River and Mazupe River) crossed the Blue hills of Šlītere to the South of Vīdale and Kaļķi. The distinct river valley has a branched network of gullies in which Devonian sandstone has been uncovered and can be seen in some locations. Puiškalns Hill (located at confluence of Kaļķupe River and Mazupe River), which was used as a castle hill and as a sacred location long in the past, is one of the most distinctive parts of the area. It is a popular tourist destination in the Talsi District. Hillside forests, various kinds of meadows and a wide range of plants are also of value in the local environment.

The word grīnis in Latvian refers to a very unusual type of forest – pine trees growing on sandy soil. There are two types of this environment – the heather type and the grass type. This is the result of long-lasting interaction between nature and humankind, and such sites are found in just a few places along the shores of the Baltic Sea in Latvia. A very rare plant which grows in the area – cross-leaved heath – was the main reason why a nature reserve was established here in 1936. An abandoned former rail line between Ventspils and Liepāja crosses the reserve from the North to the South. Visits to the reserve are strictly prohibited.

The Ziemupe nature restricted territory is on the shore of the Baltic Sea, and it protects a wide variety of coastline biotopes. The distinguished grey dunes are found here, as are various kinds of forest biotopes, some of them quite rare in Latvia. There are many protected plants and animals in the area, too. The Akmensrags lighthouse and several tourist accommodations, like camping Laikas who "Sējējs" award, are in the territory. On the sea shore not far from center of Ziemupe there is well-appointed parking area with information stands.

This is a segment of the shore of the Bay of Rīga that is around 40 km long and features the valleys of three major rivers – the Lielupe, Daugava and Gauja river.  There are dune formations, biotopes, seashore meadows and forested seashore dunes which are an important recreational resource.

Teritorijas ziņā nelielais Vilces dabas parks izvietojies dziļās Vilces upītes un tās pieteku gravu krastos. Aizsargājamie biotopi - smilšakmens atsegumi, upju straujteču posmi un gravu nogāžu meži ar tajos sastopamajām augu un dzīvnieku sugām ir šejienes dabas vērtumi. Pie labiekārtotā Vilces pilskalna atrodas Zaķu pļava – labiekārtota un iecienīta parka apmeklētāju atpūtas vieta.

Salīdzinoši liela teritorija dienvidos starp Irbes un Stendes upi, kas unikāla ar mazskartajiem mežu masīviem, kāpu veidojumiem, Irbes vecupju sistēmu un iegareno, piekrastei paralēli izvietoto Dižpurvu. Irbe pēdējo gadu laikā ir kļuvusi par samērā populāru ūdenstūrisma galamērķi, taču tās krastos, diemžēl vēl aizvien ir nepietiekama ar tūrismu saistītā infrastruktūra. Tā kā liegumu caurauž blīvs meža ceļu tīkls, tā ir potenciāla vieta dažādām dabas un izziņas tūrisma aktivitātēm.

Baltijas mērogā unikāls dabas un cilvēkizmantots apvidus, kas veidojies kādreiz - padomju, mūsdienās - Latvijas Nacionālo bruņoto spēku pārvaldītā armijas poligona teritorijā. Poligona lielāko daļu aizņem smilšains vai ar zemiem lakstaugiem un krūmāju apaudzis kāpu masīvs ar atsevišķiem lielākiem kāpu vaļņiem. Rudens laikā šeit lielās platībās zied virši. Unikālā virsāju un aprimušo kāpu ainava un daudzu sugu dzīves vieta bija daži no iemesliem, kādēļ šai militārai teritorijai ir piešķirts arī aizsargājamas dabas teritorijas statuss. Jāatgādina, ka poligona apmeklējumi privātpersonām bez iepriekšēja saskaņojuma ir aizliegti!

Eins der tiefsten Flussstromtäler Lettlands (bis zu 50 m). Entlang des rechten Ufers des Flusses ist eine Naturpfad eingerichtet.

The Little Sigulda of Pilskalne is a place for longer or shorter hikes. Here you will find a number of trails – the Sprīdītis trail (1.6 km, featuring wooden sculptures of characters from fairy tales by Anna Brigadere), the Forest landscape educational trail (3.8 km), and the Highland landscape trail (8 km in each direction). The trails are in a sub-glacial depression with a number of little lakes and swamps that are connected by streams. This is a restricted environmental area aimed at protecting the landscape and its treasures. At the beginning of the trails (near Pilskalne) there is the Melnaiskalns (Rāmavas) castle hill, which is around 30 m high.