Cēsis – Līgatne
The stage starts from St. John’s Church in Cesis. We walk across the Rožu Square to the street of Lielās Katrīnes. As we cross Palasta Street, we continue to walk down Berzaunes Street, where, after 1.2 km, we turn to the right to Emila Darzina Street, and then again to the right along Dzirnavu Street and in 300 m to the right on Jekaba Street. 1.2 km later, when Jekaba Street ends at a T-junction, we turn left and go to Gauja Street, which we turn to the right.
Just before the Gauja Bridge, we turn to the left on Murlejas Street, along which we go until the Žgarkalns boat campsite. In the far-left corner of the campsite parking lot, a path starts with the direction indicator “Spogulkilintis 10 min”. We walk this forest path along the river Gauja. After about 500 m, we hold to the left as the path splits. We soon come to the Old River of Gauja, where the rocks are beautifully mirrored in the water, and a little farther to the left is Dzidravots, but our path turns to the right. At the next crossroads, we choose the direction “Ozolkalns”.
After 600 m in the “Ozolkalns” campsite, we choose the way up the hill along the camping lodges. We walk down a beautiful forest road for the next kilometer until we reach a larger gravel road that we turn right down the hill. Along this road, after 1.5 km, we reach the camel park in Raksi. Here’s both a café and a hotel, and you can look at camels, llamas and alpacas.
We keep our way down the forest road over Raksupe. We will take the next 3 km without cutting this road. At times, the road gets narrow as a trail. When forest ends, several farms open to our view and the road joins the other rural path. Walking just past a large and old farm, we come to the main road, which we cross a little to the right, and turn to the left in the direction of the mark “Zvartes iezis 1.7 km”.
In the information center of Zvartes iezis it is possible to buy coffee, drinks or food, there are campsites available for a short rest. We continue our way along the information center, following the sign “Raganu plava”. Along the path along the edge of the hill, we come close to the river and turn to the right before the river following the direction indicator “Amata” 2.5 km. Here we go down the very picturesque nature path of Amata river. At the end of the path, we arrive at the boat campsite, clinging to the left, we walk out on the road and turn left across the Amata River.
Along this road we go the next 4.5 km till we reach the Skalupes, which is the village of the Rehabilitation Centre of Ligatne. Before the residential home, we take the path which separates to the right, turns down it and heads along the garages toward the rehabilitation center park. When in the park we take the path, what leads us behind the center building, walk it until we reach the direction sign to “Ligatnes parceltuve”. We follow it and turn to the left before the barrier, down the forest path. The main path walks closer to the metal fence, walking down it to the bridge across the creek, crossing the bridge and walking up the hill turn to the left. As the path splits, we follow the direction “Ligatnes pilseta 3.5 km”.
We stay on the main path until it ends on the road. On the way to the right, we soon walk into Ligatne. We continue along the main road, Cesu Street, which later turns a little to the right on Springu Street. As we come down the hill, we are in the historic center of Ligatne, the Ligatne Town Hall remains to the left of us, while the Ligatne winery shop to the right. Today’s stage ends at the Ligatne Tourism Information Centre at the intersection of Springu Street and Brivibas Street.
