GAUJA NATIONAL PARK

The River Gauja slices through the forests and fields of northern Latvia, carving out its meandering valley. Full of nooks and crannies, the national park offers easy exploration rather than dramatic isolation.

Gauja National Park is situated 50km to the north-east of Riga, Latvia’s attractive capital city. In the mild summer months, walking, cycling, horse-riding and boating are popular, as well as picnics at the many beauty spots that dot the countryside and visits to castles and churches. In the cold of winter, which usually lasts from November through to March, the park’s paths can be followed on skis.

The River Gauja The small town of Sigulda, which sits above the rocky bluffs overlooking the River Gauja, began to develop as a summer resort in the late 19th century. Early guidebooks tagged Sigulda as the ‘Latvian Switzerland’, and the general locality began to be spoken of as a national park.

In 1973 the Gauja National Park was formally established in recognition of the natural and historic importance of the area. Extending over 920 sq km, the park is named after the Gauja river which snakes its way through the central valley. Rising to the south in the Vidzeme Upland, the Gauja flows east, then north towards Estonia before swinging south-west through the park on its way to the Baltic Sea.

The Gauja is the backbone of the park; fed by numerous small tributaries, it is fast flowing after the spring melt, slowing to a stately meander in late summer. Millions of years ago, water began to erode the sandstone plateau through which the Gauja cuts, over time creating the present valley system with its stumpy outcrops and ochre riverside cliffs. One million years ago, the valley disappeared, filled with debris from shifting ice sheets. At the end of the last Ice Age, 10,000 years ago, glacial meltwater washed away the debris and the valley was reinstated.

Beyond the forests Travelling along the river, with the closely-packed trees jostling for space at the water’s edge, it is easy to presume that all of the park is forested. Nearly half of it is, with the dominant pine and spruce interspersed with broad-leaved woods of oak, lime and ash, but Gauja has a hidden diversity. There are also flower-filled meadows, green pastures, small lakes and bogs, and farmsteads with their fields of crops. It is this variety that supports 900 identified plant species, as well as lichens, mosses and 430 types of mushroom. Roe deer, wild boar and elk roam the forests, as well as red deer that have been recently reintroduced. Rare bird species include black storks, lesser-spotted eagles, black grouse, white-backed woodpeckers and pygmy owls. Salmon spawn in the Gauja, whilst otters hunt along its tributaries. One of these, P?erßlupe, is one of the few places in Latvia where the pearl-mussel can still be found.

Outdoor activities Close to the town of L«gatne is the park’s educational and interpretative centre. A wildlife area allows visitors to see the larger mammals that still inhabit the national park, as well as the bison, lynx and bears that do not. Several short educational walks are organised. The botanical trail helps budding naturalists identify rare plant species, before encouraging them to shout their names towards the G?udu cliffs and hear the echoes reverberate back across the river. The fairytale path weaves through the forest, the glades decorated with life-size timber carvings of Latvian folk characters.

A large tract of the river, some 210km from Vire¢si downstream to Sigulda, is ideal for canoeing. Beyond the park’s boundaries, the Stren¢ci rapids are probably the most scenic section, whilst still offering a gentle passage. Another good place to canoe is the Salaca river in the 400 sq km Northern Vidzeme Biosphere Reserve near the Estonian border.

Sigulda At the turn of the previous millennium the Gauja river was an important trade route: it linked the continental interior of the east with the Scandinavian kingdoms around the Baltic, whilst also forming the border between the Liv and the Latgalian peoples. Following excavations, the latter’s lake-top dwellings have been reconstructed at Lake ?Arai¢si. From the 13th century, as German conquest of the area was followed by a series of fractious power struggles, the river again marked the territorial boundaries of different factions. In Sigulda, the Livonian Knights built their castle on the northern edge of the town and the archbishops of Riga set theirs on the opposite bank of the river, each side confronting the other. Sigulda castle was largely destroyed in the 18th century, but the south-west corner and a tower from the central gate still survive. Turaida, the archbishops’ castle, fared little better, being destroyed by fire in 1776. Parts have, however, been restored and the main tower offers excellent views over the town across the river.

Nowadays, Sigulda is a quiet, mild mannered town and acts as the main gateway to the park. As well as weaving, linen and lace craft, the town offers opera and folk festivals. Nearby C?esis is similarly pleasant. Besides the cobbled streets of the old quarter, the Church of St John and a 13th century castle, the town is home to Latvia’s oldest brewery, a status enthusiastically celebrated at an annual beer festival.

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