Sigulda – Līgatne

30 km SIGULDA – LĪGATNE Daudu waterfall Owl at Līgatne Nature Trails Cyclists Photo: Archive of Sigulda TIC and Baltic Pictures Katrīnas Rock Description Distance Public transportation Suited for fit hikers or cyclists focused Around 30 km. For hikers: regional buses (check on an adventure in terms of views and timetable beforehand) run between emotions through the most impressive Duration Līgatne and Augšlīgatne, and from primeval valley of a river in Baltics. The 10 h on foot, 4-5 h by bicycle. there on pedestrians can get on the route runs through Gauja National Park. train (station “Līgatne”, railway line Road pavement Riga-Valka) or regional buses to Riga, Best time to go Mostly forest roads, gravel roads, paths, Cēsis and other towns. Trains (8-9 May–October. The route can be enjoyed asphalt roads in Sigulda and Līgatne. times per day) and regional buses run in other seasons as well, including the to Sigulda. beautiful winter days with a few snow, Starting point since the paths and forest roads are not Sigulda Railway Station Square. Worth knowing! cleaned from snow. 24.85422, 57.15287. Suitable trekking boots (or an MTB/ trekking bicycle) and local map or route Route Destination map is necessary. Navigation devices For hikers: Central square of Sigulda Līgatne Tourism Information Centre. might be useful. Cyclists should pedal Railway Station – Raiņa iela – Līvkalna 25.03968, 57.23348 with due care on the steep slopes and iela – Mound Paradīzes – Vējupīte wooden plank-ways and bridges which Ravine – Līgatne nature trails – Gaujas Distance to Riga can be slippery. Due to the route length, iela – Dārza iela – Spriņģu iela – Līgatne Starting point 53 km, destination 70 km. hikers should evaluate personal fitness Tourism Information Centre. Cyclists for the route. When heading along Nur- head down the Gaujas Street in Sigulda Way marking miži Nature Reserve area, respect the and before the bridge over the River A blue diamond on white background, information signs placed there! Walking Gauja turn right on an unpaved road blue blazes on trees. Way markings leading to Līgatne. continue from Gaujas iela in Sigulda up outdoors is at one’s own risk. Emergen- to Līgatne. cy services: 112. Difficulty level Moderate - difficult. Strenuous in some Recommendation sections (deep ravines of the rivers). Hikers can stay overnight in Līgatne and head the next day to Cēsis (~1 day), and from Cēsis on to Valmiera (~2 days). SERVICE | Sigulda Municipality Tourism Information Centre | Holiday house “Vējiņi” Sigulda, Ausekļa Street 6, +371 67971335, [email protected], “Vējiņi”, Straupe rural territory, Pārgauja Municipality, www.tourism.sigulda.lv +371 29354189, [email protected], www.pazemesezeri.lv (also camping “Paegļi”) | Visitor Centre in Līgatne Nature Trails Līgatne Nature Trails, Līgatne Municipality, +371 64153313, G | Baltic Wildlife +371 28328800, [email protected], www.gnp.lv +371 28808440, [email protected], www.balticwildlife.eu | Līgatne Municipality Tourism Information Centre Līgatne, Spriņģu Street 2, +371 64153169, +371 29189707, [email protected], www.visitligatne.lv www.entergauja.com SIGHTSEEING OBJECTS 1 | Sigulda Railway Station 24.85422, 57.15287 2 | Raiņa Park Pay attention! En route from the town centre to the valley of the River Vējupīte, roe deer is seen early in the mornings in the meadow near Līvkalna Street. Along Līvkalna Street there is an alley of oaks — a place to study lichen, moss, and polypores (e.g. sulphur shelves). 3 | River Vējupīte Left tributary of the River Gauja. Length — 14 km, gradient — 88 m. 4 | Vējupīte Ravine 24.87634, 57.17115 VOn the banks of Vējupīte Valley, there are popular Sigulda tourism sites, such as Kraukļu Ravine and Pētera Cave. Pay attention! The banks of Vējupīte Ravine are covered in forests of slopes and ravines with large-size decayed wood and deadwood. Here one can spot traces that woodpeckers have left on tree trunks. Ball-shaped sandstone is found on the riverbed of rivers Vējupīte and Kraukļupīte. The polypodies and common fragile fern are growing on the sandstone outcrops. The patina seen at some places on the sandstone walls is which is rich in sandstone outcrops. Dauda Ravine actually the velvet lichen. The ground is located in the Nurmiži Glen Reserve. 13 | Rock Launagiezis (also Ērmaņu cover of the forest reveals common Pay attention! At some places you shall see traces Rock) 24.97085, 57.25061 of wild boar, while ashore of the oxbow lakes — moss like glittering wood-moss, Around 600 m long and steep slope of the right side traces of beavers. red-stemmed feathermoss, goose- of primeval valley wall of the River Gauja covered necked moss, and ostrich plume with forests, at the feet of which there is the scenic 7 | River Sviķupīte feathermoss. Various species of fern. sandstone outcrop (up to 20 m high). Left tributary of the River Gauja, at the lower reaches On fallen trees and stumps — sulphur of which there are the Sviķupīte outcrops (Gauja shelves, red banded polypore, 14 | Tītmaņu Rock 24.98528, 57.24042 suite sandstone), which are seen over a section of Dryad’s Saddle, and other species of The approximately 12 m high and reddish sand- 600800 m. mushrooms decaying the timber. stone outcrop from Gauja suite is located on the left slope of primeval valley wall of the River Gauja 8 | Mound Sautas 5 | Track along Gauja (~0.5 km off the river). The outcrop features Līgotņu Impressive rock pillar on the left side of the primeval between farmstead “Kalna Cave and two galleries. valley wall of the River Gauja, enclosed by the deep Klaukas” and Rāmnieku Streem ravines of Rivers Sviķupīte and Nurmižupīte. Loca- The section of primeval valley wall 15 | Līgatne nature trails 25.01525, ted in Nurmiži Glen Reserve, and therefore can be from Kalna Klaukas to Rāmnieku 57.24798 observed from distance. Brook is included in Nurmiži Glen Re- Not far from Līgatne, on the banks of the primeval serve which is closed to visitors. The valley of the River Gauja and its tributaries there is road and its adjacent area are open to 9 | Rāmnieku Brook a dense network of trails with fencings enclosing hikers and cyclists taking the route. A small left tributary of the River Gauja, furthest wild animals of Latvia — stags, elks, roe deer, wild Pay attention! The following com- northern border of Nurmiži Glen Reserve. boar, bears, foxes, lynx, and two species of birds, mon plant species are found near living in conditions similar to the wild. the trail: common yarrow, wild thy- 10 | Dagnes (Gančausku, Sūruma) Cave me, Burnet-saxifrage, annual mea- 24.95074, 57.24406 16 | Jumpravu Rock 25.02872, 57.24986. dow-grass, meadow buttercup, sticky Tildurga Brook, before entering the River Gauja, Sandstone outcrop on the left bank of the River catchfly, spiked speedwell, cock’s-fo- has washed out a small “canyon”, and on the left Gauja, which runs far into the forest like a steep ot, germander speedwell, cow pars- bank of it there is a cave-like gallery. and rocky slope, where its feet are washed by the ley, perennial honesty, baneberry, waters of a brook. wood-sorrel, maple, oak, lily-of-the- 11 | Elpju Rock 24.95311, 57.24421 valley, dog’s mercury, common hazel, Approximately 9 m high reddish sandstone outcrop 17 | Līgatne Ferry Crossing spindle, etc. from the Gauja suite. 18 | Līgatne Paper Mill 6 | River Dauda 12 | River Vildoga (also Jāņupīte) Left tributary of the River Gauja with Left tributary of the River Gauja with a deep ravine and 19 | Līgatne Village a canyon-like ravine up to 40 m deep, an impressive vertical fall (ca. 10 m/km). www.entergauja.com.

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