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The shallow and mostly overgrown (65% of its surface) Lake Engure is one of those Latvian lakes which are most favoured by birds. It is a location which is governed by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, and 186 species of nesting birds have been identified there. The area is also distinguished by great botanical diversity (more than 800 kinds of plants). The coastline varies between sandy beaches and seashore meadows. There are forests, fishing villages and damp areas which ensure a great diversity in landscapes and species. The flood-land plains of the lake and the sea are grazing grounds for wild livestock – horses, blue cows, etc. Several bird-watching towers are open to visitors, as is the Orchid trail. The Centre for Ornithological Research is located on the eastern bank of Lake Engure. A unique floating house built by ornithologists is located on the lake. The territory is appropriate not just for holiday-makers, but also for hikers, bicyclists and bird-watchers. A leisure area and a small exhibition are located close to the ornithological research centre. |
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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. |
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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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Ārkārtīgi ainaviska teritorija Augšzemes augstienes centrālajā daļā ar vairākiem ezeriem - Medumu, Lielo un Mazo Ilgas, Šķirsteņu un dažām mazākām ūdenstilpēm. Medumu ezera salām ir dabas lieguma statuss. Teritoriju šķērso vairāki grantēti ceļi, no kuriem dažviet paveras brīnišķīgas, bet nelabiekārtotas skatu vietas. Teritorijā atrodas Medumu katoļu baznīca. Piemērota teritorija dažādu aktīvā tūrisma veidu attīstībai. Dabas parks ietilpst Augšzemes aizsargājamo ainavu apvidū. |
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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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The most important aspects of this park are a shallow lagoon-type lake – Lake Pape, with its flood land meadows, the shore of the Baltic Sea, the Nida swamp, and the more than 270 different types of birds that have been spotted here. The oldest bird ringing station in Latvia (est. 1966) is found between Lake Pape and the Baltic Sea. Birds and bats are caught and ringed there. Lake Pape is the first place in Latvia where so-called “wild” horses (the “Konik” breed) were released with the aim of managing the flood land meadows.
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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 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 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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Engures apkaimē aug 22 no Latvijā sastopamajām 32 orhideju dzimtas sugām .Lai dabas parka apmeklētājiem dotu iespēju aplūkot šīs interesantās augu sugas, ierīkota Orhideju taka. Kopējais takas garums ir 3.5 km, tā sākas netālu no Engures Ornitoloģisko pētījumu centra, līkumo caur kalcifilajiem purviem un mežam putnu novērošanas torņa virzienā, un aizvijas tālāk gar atjaunoto ezera piekrastes pļavu, kurā mīt govis un zirgi. Takas sākumā novietotajā informācijas zīmē attēlotas ne tikai apkārtnē sastopamās orhidejas. Tur iespējams gūt daudzpusīgu informāciju arī par citām interesantām Engures ezera dabas parka augu sugām.
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The “backbone” to this park is the valley of the Šventoji (Holy) River. One of the most impressive Devonian cliffs in Lithuania can be seen from the river – Vetygalos atodanga. On the shores of the Varius stream is a cliff made of quartz and sand – Variaus atodanga. 6 km to the S of Anykščiai is Lithuania’s second largest rock (5.7 m high, ~100 m3) – Puntukas akmuo.
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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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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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Riežupes dabas parks veidots g.k. Riežupes izteksmīgās ielejas, tai raksturīgo dabas vērtību – nogāžu un gravu mežu, dažādu ģeoloģisku dabas pieminekļu - smilšakmens atsegumu, alu, ūdenkritumu, upes straujteču posmu, dažādu sugu, mežu masīvu un ainavas aizsardzībai. Parka atrodas viens no Kurzemes populārākajiem tūrisma objektiem – Riežupes alas - garākais mākslīgo alu labirints Latvijā, kura eju kopgarums ir 460 m. Sākotnēji dabas veidotās alas 19. gs. vidū mākslīgi paplašināja baltās smilts ieguves nolūkos, kuras izmantoja stikla ražošanai. Parkā izveidots velotūrisma maršruts. |
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The old wooden tower at this site was torn down and replaced with the one that is there now. The restored tower offers one of the loveliest views in Eastern Latvia – one of the eight curves of the Daugava. This is the Rozališki curve. Here you will get a whole new sense of the Daugava River and its mighty valley in a place where the waters of a hydroelectric plant bubble away in our present day and age. It is claimed that the scene that is seen on the 10 lats note is based on the view which can be seen to the West from the tower. |
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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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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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The nature park in the city of Jūrmala was set up to protect dune, pine forest and shoreline habitats. This park features one of the most attractive nature trails in the Rīga area, and it is found near the famous Ragakāpa dune, which can be as much as 17 metres high. This is an excellent opportunity to study dune habitats and the plants, birds, insects, etc., which live there. Visitors can also see pine trees that are 100 years old and older. |
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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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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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