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Gaiziņkalns Hill is the highest hill in Latvia, and it is a typical example of the hillocks of the Vidzeme highlands. This is a place of wonderful landscapes, even though there are not all that many good viewing areas. At the centre of this park is Gaiziņkalns Hill itself – the highest place in Latvia and the second highest in the Baltic States (311.6 metres above sea level). The viewing tower, alas is not open to the public, because it is in dangerous condition. There is a well-appointed hiking trail around Gaiziņkalns Hill, and during the winter the hill and its surroundings are popular for downhill and cross-country skiing. Lake Viešūrs (Lake Kaķītis) is popular among licensed fishermen. This territory is part of a region of protected landscapes around Vestiena. |
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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.
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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. |
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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. |
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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 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.
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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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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. |
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Atrodas Skuķu ezera ziemeļaustrumu krastā. No torņa labi saskatāms aizaugušais Skuķu ezers ar nelielām ūdens lāmām un ūdeņiem bagātos pavasaros pārplūstošā Dvietes paliene. Laba putnu vērošanas vieta. |
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This lovely part of the Nemuna River between Alytus and Pakuonis meanders through cliffs that are up to 40 m high.
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This park was set up to protect the landscape and cultural environment of the Haanja highland. At the central part of the park are the two highest hills in the Baltic States – Suur Munamägi, which stands 318 m above sea level, and Vällamägi, which is 304 m above sea level. The ancient Rõuge River valley (Rõuge ürgorg) is found in the western part of the park. It is 7.5 km long and up to 60 m deep. The valley dates back to the Ice Age, and it has seven lakes, including the deepest one (38 m) in Estonia – Lake Rõuge Suurjärv.
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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 forests of Zvārde are located on land which used to be a Soviet air base. The territory was unpopulated and was not accessible to civilians. The vast area includes various types of forest - boreal forest, bogs of black alder, etc. The fact that the military used to control the territory is one of the reasons why the forests of Zvārde are a location where many rare and protected birds live, reproduce and find food. Some of the elements of the old air base are still in place, including a unique surveillance platform. It is recommended that visitors to the area drive only along general use roads. |
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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
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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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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 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.
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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
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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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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. |
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