This tour will give you an impression of the eastern part of Latvia, which is less populated and also less popular among tourists. You will first arrive in Aluksne and explore the town, which is located at Alūksne highland, on the shore of Lake Alūksne. It is worth visiting Temple Hill – an old Latgalian castle mound and the place of the old town, Sun bridge, and the Castle manor park, Alūksne Lutheran Church and the Bible Museum. After staying there overnight you will go by bus to the start point of the hike in Ape. This Forest Trail section winds through a hilly farmland landscape, then enters a large dark forest, occasionally interrupted by the blue surfaces of lakes. After Peļļi, it crosses the Latvian/Estonian border and winds along the shores of the lakes Smilšājs, Sūneklis and Ilgājs for 2 km on the Estonian side, known as Paganamaa (translation: Devil's Land). There it descends and enters the Korneti-Peļļi subglacial depression, one of the most impressive ravines in Latvia. The Forest Trail returns to Latvia at Lake Ilgājs and, after a steep climb, takes you through a hilly area to the Drusku castle mound. Here you can enjoy a beautiful view. At the end of this tour, you will reach Korneti. The section is located in the protected landscape area “Veclaicene”.

Krustpils was first recorded in documents in 1237 in relation to the construction of the Kreutzburg castle on the right bank of the Daugava River.  A 1511 document lists it as a village.  In 1585, Polish King Stefan Báthory gifted the town to Nicholas Korff, whose family continued to own it until 1920.  Battles between Swedish and Polish forces occurred outside of Krustpils in 1626, and the sacked village was in poor shape until the mid-19th century.  Jēkabpils, in turn, was constructed as a settlement for Old Believers who were persecuted in Russia.  The Daugava has rapids opposite Krustpils and Jēkabpils, which means that boats had to dock there and reload their goods into wagons.  The settlement flourished, and in 1670 it was given the rights of a city.  It is named after Duke Jacob.  When the Rīga-Daugavpils rail line opened in 1861, Krustpils flourished, and Jēkabpils did not flourish.  The two cities were administratively merged in 1962, keeping the name of Jēkabpils.  There are typical one-story wooden buildings from the 19th century, red brick buildings built at the turn of the 20th century, as well as seven churches used by different denominations.  The dam along the left bank of the Daugava was built in 1861, and it was aimed at protecting the city against flooding.  Today it is a promenade that is popular among local residents for strolling and leisure.

This section of the Baltic Coastal Hiking Route is suitable to hardy hikers who like to travel across uninhabited places. In many places, reeds, floodplains with pastures and wetlands stretch across the Estonian seacoast, which is why the itinerary often leads you along forest and country roads. In the second half of summer you can pick the mushrooms and berries in the coastal forests. Pärnu is a popular resort city with many cafés, live music, SPAs, hotels and a beautiful Old Town.

The biography of Krišjānis Valdemārs tells us that during the summer of 1839, teachers and students from the Lubezere school spent a few days on the coastline in Roja, where Valdemārs would later help to build a maritime school.  The area was breath-taking and unforgettable for the little boy.  “The noble appearance of the sea grabbed the spirit of the young man so powerfully that during those three days, I thought about nothing other than the noble sea, with childish courage that allowed me to prepare a plan for a deeper port in the Roja River so that larger boats and small ships could enter it,” Valdemārs wrote. (Source: Roja TIC)

Lahemaa – the oldest and biggest national park in Estonia – is waiting to be explored. Experiences include a guided nature walk in the bog, a peaceful afternoon in a traditional fishing village, cooking with the local family, a traditional sauna, some farm work and taking part in the local social life.

The legendary blue hills of Šlītere have been known since ancient days, when pirates lit false campfires that led ships to run aground near Cape Kolka.  The shoreline in the Slītere National Park is known as the open-air geological museum of the Baltic Sea, because the ancient shores of the Baltic ice sea, Lake Ancylus, and dunes from Littorina Sea can be seen here.  These offer a fine view of the history of the Baltic Sea.  The territory was historically populated by the Liv people, and their fishing villages are a cultural environment of one of the smallest ethnic minorities in the world.  The route between Kolka and Mazirbe goes down the old shore road that passes through Liv villages.  The Slītere National Park has one of the greatest amounts of plants in Latvia, while Cape Kolka is one of the country’s most popular bird watching sites.

Route information from Latvijas Lauku forums

A small settlement with a school, library and shop. North from the Vidale are visible remains of the windmill. Going towards the Gulf of Riga, the road crosses Shlitere Zilie mountain precipice with spectacular views during late autumn, early spring and winter, when there are no leaves on the trees and sandstone outcrops. To the left you can see Zilie mountain spring - a landscaped water taking place. Road that runs from the Vidale to Melnsils side, is called by the locals Knipeldambi. They say that it was built by the German army first During World War I, putting logs on the road and covering them with sand.