Spring

SPRING - Awaken the Coast

This 3-day journey follows North Kurzeme as it awakens in spring – from ancient Livonian villages and pine forests to Cape Kolka and the wetlands of Engure Lake. Watch migratory birds gather, forests turn green, rivers come alive and wildlife return to the open landscape. Discover the wild coast, hidden geological wonders and centuries-old cultural heritage at the most vibrant time of year

Season: March - May

Activity level: Easy to moderate

Recommended transport: Car

Day 1

Pristine Wilderness & Livonian Coast Heritage

The first day invites you to disconnect in untouched nature, where coastal pine forests begin to release their scent in the spring sun and the ancient Livonian Coast comes alive.

Mazirbe Boat Graveyard & The Livonian Community House

Pēterezers Nature Trail – A Geological Phenomenon (~3.4 km)

Tranquility & Coastal Flavors

Mazirbe Boat Graveyard & The Livonian Community House

Head over to Mazirbe, the cultural heart of the indigenous Livonian people. Explore the Mazirbe Boat Graveyard tucked away in the coastal pine dunes. Spring is the absolute best time to visit this site—because the trees have not yet fully leafed out, the skeletons of the old wooden fishing boats slowly fusing with nature are clearly visible and exceptionally photogenic.

Pēterezers Nature Trail – A Geological Phenomenon (~3.4 km)

The perfect spring alternative to winter trail walks.

Drive deeper into the heart of Slītere National Park along the P125 road. This trail guides you through a world-renowned geological landscape of kangari and vigas—ancient parallel sand dunes separated by wet, boggy depressions. In spring, this unique wetland and forest ecosystem awakens, resonant with early woodland bird songs, and reveals traces of the historic North Kurzeme narrow-gauge railway.

WATCH VIDEO ABOUT PĒTEREZERS NATURE TRAILS - HERE

Tranquility & Coastal Flavors

Settle into a local holiday home or guesthouse in Pitrags, Košrags or Kolka. Far away from city light pollution, the spring nights here reveal brilliant starry skies accompanied by the rhythmic roar of the breaking waves.

Mazirbe Boat Graveyard & The Livonian Community House

Head over to Mazirbe, the cultural heart of the indigenous Livonian people. Explore the Mazirbe Boat Graveyard tucked away in the coastal pine dunes. Spring is the absolute best time to visit this site – because the trees have not yet fully leafed out, the skeletons of the old wooden fishing boats slowly fusing with nature are clearly visible and exceptionally photogenic.

Pēterezers Nature Trail – A Geological Phenomenon (~3.4 km)

The perfect spring alternative to winter trail walks.

Drive deeper into the heart of Slītere National Park along the P125 road. This trail guides you through a world-renowned geological landscape of kangari and vigas—ancient parallel sand dunes separated by wet, boggy depressions. In spring, this unique wetland and forest ecosystem awakens, resonant with early woodland bird songs, and reveals traces of the historic North Kurzeme narrow-gauge railway.

Tranquility & Coastal Flavors

Day 2

Where Two Seas Collide & Active Spring by the River

This is the peak day of the journey—the absolute epicenter of spring bird migration, high coastal bluffs, and an active afternoon out on the water or on a bicycle.

Šlītere Lighthouse & Prehistoric Old-Growth Forest (~1.2 km)

Cape Kolka – A World-Class Ornitological Spectacle

Ēvaži Steep Coast – A Dramatic View from Above (~0.6–1.2 km)

Active Exploration & Spring Picnic at the Roja River Nature Trail

Šlītere Lighthouse & Prehistoric Old-Growth Forest (~1.2 km)

Start your day on the edge of the Blue Hills (Zilie kalni), the ancient shoreline of the prehistoric Baltic Ice Lake. Walk the wooden boardwalk trail cutting through a thousand-year-old broadleaf forest where the first spring flora begins to bloom. Climb to the top of the historic Šlītere Lighthouse—the tower offers a panoramic, sweeping view over vast forest canopies turning a vibrant light green all the way to the sea horizon.

Cape Kolka – A World-Class Ornitological Spectacle

Travel to Cape Kolka itself, the exact geographical point where the open Baltic Sea collides with the Gulf of Riga (the "Little Sea"). In spring (especially April), Cape Kolka is an international hotspot for migratory bird concentration. Within just a few hours, tens of thousands of birds fly directly over the cape. Because of this spectacular natural phenomenon, ornithologists and nature enthusiasts travel hundreds of miles from all over Europe to get here. Walk the Kolka Pine Trail and climb the timber viewing tower to watch this massive movement of life over the waves.

Ēvaži Steep Coast – A Dramatic View from Above (~0.6–1.2 km)

Driving along the P131 highway towards Roja, pull over right at the border of Slītere National Park. A short, sunlit walk through a coastal pine forest leads directly to the highest steep coast of the Gulf of Riga. The wooden viewing platform offers dramatic, panoramic views across the sea. A quick, perfect nature break directly off the main seaside road.

Active Exploration & Spring Picnic at the Roja River Nature Trail

Head into Roja for an active afternoon. In spring, this beautiful nature trail is ideal for hiking, cycling, or going on a canoe trip down the rushing, seasonal currents of the river. Enjoy the surrounding pine forests, listen to the calls of river waterfowl, and discover 3 beautifully maintained open-air rest areas. Equipped with benches, tables, restrooms, swings, outdoor fitness equipment, and fire pits, it provides everything needed for a perfect spring picnic in the wild.

Šlītere Lighthouse & Prehistoric Old-Growth Forest (~1.2 km)

Cape Kolka – A World-Class Ornitological Spectacle

Travel to Cape Kolka itself, the exact geographical point where the open Baltic Sea collides with the Gulf of Riga (the “Little Sea”). In spring (especially April), Cape Kolka is an international hotspot for migratory bird concentration. Within just a few hours, tens of thousands of birds fly directly over the cape. Because of this spectacular natural phenomenon, ornithologists and nature enthusiasts travel hundreds of miles from all over Europe to get here. Walk the Kolka Pine Trail and climb the timber viewing tower to watch this massive movement of life over the waves.

Ēvaži Steep Coast – A Dramatic View from Above (~0.6–1.2 km)

Active Exploration & Spring Picnic at the Roja River Nature Trail

Day 3

Glacial Boulders, New Sensations & The Wild Lake

The third day surprises travelers with a completely different coastal landscape, where soft sands transition into massive stone ridges, coastal meadows, and wetlands teeming with wild animals.

Kaltene Stony Beach & The Mystical Stone Ridges (Kalvas)

Mērsrags Lighthouse & The New Trail of Senses

Engure Lake Nature Park – Bird Tower & Wild Animals

Kaltene Stony Beach & The Mystical Stone Ridges (Kalvas)

Visit the unique Kaltene coastline, where the shore is covered in massive Ice Age glacial boulders. Next, head slightly inland into the forest to the Kaltene Kalvas—prehistoric, moss-covered stone mounds. In spring, when the snow has just melted and the thick moss turns a brilliant neon green, these ancient stone ridges look truly magical and shrouded in mystery.

Mērsrags Lighthouse & The New Trail of Senses

Continue down to Mērsrags. View the historic Mērsrags Lighthouse (built in 1875) and walk the new, approximately 2-km-long pedestrian boardwalk running along the Mērsrags canal and the seashore. The trail features interactive installations detailing 19 local folklore stories and legends, and includes a fun, swinging rope bridge—a great spring walk for the whole family. Continue your walk to Cape Mērsrags (Pekrags), where the myth-shrouded Devil’s Stone rises from the sea, and large flocks of migrating swans and ducks feed in the shallow coastal waters.

Engure Lake Nature Park – Bird Tower & Wild Animals

Conclude your 3-day journey just a few minutes' drive past the center of Mērsrags at the Engure Lake Nature Park. In spring, the lake's reed beds and surrounding meadows literally buzz with life, serving as a nesting ground for hundreds of waterfowl species. Reaching the wooden bird-watching tower offers unparalleled wildlife viewing. Right in the lakeside meadows, you will meet the park's most famous residents—wild cattle and Polish Konik horses, which venture out into the fields in spring to enjoy the first fresh green grass.

Kaltene Stony Beach & The Mystical Stone Ridges (Kalvas)

Visit the unique Kaltene coastline, where the shore is covered in massive Ice Age glacial boulders. Next, head slightly inland into the forest to the Kaltene Kalvas—prehistoric, moss-covered stone mounds. In spring, when the snow has just melted and the thick moss turns a brilliant neon green, these ancient stone ridges look truly magical and shrouded in mystery.

Mērsrags Lighthouse & The New Trail of Senses

Engure Lake Nature Park – Bird Tower & Wild Animals

Conclude your 3-day journey just a few minutes’ drive past the center of Mērsrags at the Engure Lake Nature Park. In spring, the lake’s reed beds and surrounding meadows literally buzz with life, serving as a nesting ground for hundreds of waterfowl species. Reaching the wooden bird-watching tower offers unparalleled wildlife viewing. Right in the lakeside meadows, you will meet the park’s most famous residents—wild cattle and Polish Konik horses, which venture out into the fields in spring to enjoy the first fresh green grass.