Balvu Municipality: Bogs, Lakes and North Latgalian Culture

Balvu Municipality leads into a landscape of bogs, forests and lakes, as well as a region with North Latgalian culture. Stompaku bogs, a Natura 2000 nature reserve in Balvu Municipality, are particularly impressive. The complex of bogs and forests provides a habitat for rare and endangered species; a total of 84 specially protected species have been recorded there, including the black stork, capercaillie and golden eagle.

Nature

The Stompaku National Partisan Settlement Memorial also combines nature and history: it includes a nature trail, information boards and restored bunkers. A marked trail with boardwalks through the wetter sections of the bog leads to the Stompaku partisan settlement; the settlement comprised 24 bunkers.

The Stiglova nature trail leads through the valley of the Stiglova stream and past 3- to 4-metre-high sandstone outcrops that are considered a geological natural monument. The trail is currently inaccessible due to wind damage. The Balkanu kalni nature park presents a different type of landscape: covering around 20 hectares, its trails lead to wooden sculptures, various forest types, hills and slopes, as well as animal burrows and anthills. In winter, there is a sledding hill and a cross-country ski trail. The nature park also includes picnic areas and fire pits, camping opportunities and a pond for swimming.

Culture and History

Balvi Manor was built at the end of the 18th century and later adapted for use as a school. Its grounds host the Balvi Chamber Music Festival every year on the last weekend of August. The Balvi District Museum is also accessible to visitors with special needs. Guided tours of the museum, the town and the manor ensemble are available by prior registration. In addition, the museum presents a digital exhibition on the intangible cultural heritage of North Latgale in five exhibition halls.

At the Viļaka Museum, the exhibition “Viļaka’s Surroundings in the Turns of History” covers local history from the era of the manors through Latvia’s independence period and the Soviet era to the events of the Second World War and the military heritage.

The Egļava Forestry Administration Museum presents the forest cycle from tree seeds to finished wood products. The exhibition also includes an insect collection, forestry tools, and collections of North Latgalian textiles and ceramics. The Cīrulīši collection focuses on a completely different aspect of history, with more than 40 historic mopeds and motorcycles; motorcycle rides are also offered there.

Lakes and Trails

Lake Viļaka combines walking paths, observation points and traces of history. The island can be reached via a 144-metre-long pontoon bridge; at the beginning of the pontoon walkway there is a birdwatching platform. On the island, the trail is 442 metres long and features wooden boardwalks, a boat landing and information boards. It also leads to fragments of the Marienhausen Castle, a castle model and a birdwatching viewing platform. The promenade on Lake Viļaka offers a boat landing, camping and motorhome pitches, a children’s playground, a volleyball court, picnic areas and a swimming area.

For water activities, Wake up Balvi on Lake Balvi offers a 200-metre cable wakeboarding course. There is also an inflatable water park covering almost 1,000 square metres, as well as water sports equipment and SUP board rental.

Greenway cycling route No. 15 runs along the former railway line from Gulbene to Balvi. It is marked and adapted for non-motorised traffic. The route is 36 kilometres long, takes around four hours and is rated as moderately difficult.

Local Traditions

At the Vēršukalns cultural and historical farmstead, a mid-20th-century farm has been restored. Textiles and ceramics made by craftspeople from Susāju parish are displayed there. Visitors can also sample a Latgalian meal with freshly baked bread from a traditional rural oven and other delicacies.

In the village of masters of traditional crafts in Briežuciems, the hosts at the Kronīši farm demonstrate bread baking in the oven and offer warm bread for tasting. Visitors can take part in weaving workshops, receive explanations about weaving traditions and sing Latgalian folk songs with local groups. The Meža labumu village offers tastings of forest and meadow products, special teas and a soup with a wild flavour. Workshops and tastings featuring products made from wild plants are also available.

Other subregions of Balvu Municipality include Balvi, Gailīši, Bērzkalne and Vītoli.

For the overview of the wider travel destination: Latvia.

More Destinations

More places within the same travel destination:

Naukšēnu Municipality, Jūrmala, Skrunda Municipality, Ropaži Municipality.