Līgatne nature trails — full day

A full day on the Līgatne nature trails and around them — six hours covering both forest and valley slopes. Līgatne is a place where nature and industrial history are tightly woven together: there are wildlife trails here, and an old paper-mill village with cellars dug into sandstone.

In the first half we walk the nature trails, where you can see the inhabitants of Latvian forests — elk, red deer, lynx, bears. This is not a zoo: the animals are in large enclosures and sometimes you have to wait for them. Then we head to the valley slopes, where paths lead through old forest to viewpoints over the river.

In the afternoon we walk through Līgatne village itself — the wooden houses built for mill workers, and the cave cellars where potatoes and preserves are still kept. It is a longer day, so bring comfortable shoes and lunch.