This route offers time travel – to be in places, where over 100 years ago, during the World War I in 1916 and 1917 Latvian Riflemen, still as part of Imperial Russian Army, started to materialise the dream about their own country – a free Latvia. It is exactly here, where the battles took place that were portrayed in novel by Aleksandrs Grins “Blizzard of Souls”. Few years ago, the film of the same name, based on those events, was shot by director Dzintars Dreibergs, with participation of hundreds of volunteers.
This is our shortest and easiest route, so everyone who likes to go on day trips in their SUV, could get a taste of this exciting way of getting to know Latvia. This is also the closest route to the capital of Latvia – Riga, so it does not require a lot of preparation, you can leave at the drop of the hat. We suggest doing this route especially to those, who do not have much experience in this kind of self-drive trips. You will have the opportunity to experience what it is like to drive relying on navigation, try which one of the apps you prefer, without fearing about spending too much time in the route and without fear of getting lost. You will also get the understanding about how much time you should plan for doing our longer routes.
In 2019 the film “Blizzard of Souls” that is based on true story saw the light of the day and in first 5 weeks of screening it was watched by over 200 000 people, which makes it the most-watched film in Latvian cinemas since restoration of Latvian independence in early 1900s. The film is set in the wake of the World War I and portrays Latvian freedom struggles reflecting the complex history of Latvia and the circumstances of the foundation of the independent republic on the backdrop of WWI from the point of view of a young Latvian Rifleman. The route takes you through the most significant battlefields and reveals marks they have left that are still there today. We recommend visiting the museum of Christmas Battles “Mangali” at the end of your trip that features an ample exposition and the opportunity to learn a lot about the events of that time.
Self-drive routes are crafted in a way so you would have the opportunity to stretch your legs and fill your lungs with the fresh air of Latvian countryside and forests. In this route we would like to highlight the picturesque and vast Cenas Tirelis with its 5 km long bog walk and several viewing towers, so we really would suggest choosing appropriate clothing and footwear for longer walks. Animal lovers will appreciate the horse stables that you literally almost drive through. You might be lucky to meet these majestic and strong animals face to face. But for the fans of beautiful natural landscapes, we recommend ascending the 27-meter-high viewing tower, which is located near Ložmetējkalns and is the only one of the kinds in the cultural and historical nature reserve in Latvia.
