Not so much travelled (also more difficult to reach) area on the left side of the River Daugava will surprise you with different views of the river as well as Latvia’s largest hydroelectric power plants. Roads through impressive forest massifs, that hide stand-alone forest lakes, will take you to Riekstukalns (Nut Hill), where you can not only enjoy all kinds of activities, but also study the stars at a nearby observatory or, if you engage your imagination a bit, meet a ghost of a Soviet holidaymaker in the once famous, but now abandoned Baldone Sanatorium.
This is a route where you can feel the power and enjoy the beauty of water. It begins near the dam of the Riga hydroelectric power plant (HPP), where the Daugava is infinitely wide and huge expanses of water can be marvelled at. You will finish the route at the Plavinas HPP in Aizkraukle. In addition, in the middle of the trip, in Kegums, you will see be the third HPP, which is the oldest out of the three and houses the Energy Museum.
Along the way, you will discover small and unknown lakes, that you would miss without knowing of their existence. Those lakes are wonderfully beautiful with their peace and sounds, especially in the hours of early morning, when nature and all living creatures are waking up for the day. If you are passionate about fishing, do not forget to bring your fishing equipment. There is an opportunity to stop for a moment at the recreation centre of Lake Vitkop and try your luck catching some of the freshwater fish. If fortune is on your side, you might get a sheatfish also known as wels catfish.
Baldone is a small town, but it has a lot to offer. It is home of the observatory with the most powerful telescope in Baltics, which is also is the twelfth largest in the world for studying the celestial objects. There is the active winter recreation centre Riekstukalns on the outskirts of Baldone, where you can enjoy lots of fun activities during summertime too. The town has several buildings with a remarkably interesting history. For example, the Lutheran Church, which, might sound incredible, but housed a manufacturing company in Soviet times. However, a true example of the Soviet-era heritage are the abandoned buildings and territory of Baldone Sanatorium, which the bravest can try to explore on foot.
This route is rich in forests that stretch over large areas. In addition, in the Tome area, these forests are distinctly hilly. It will definitely appeal to the most passionate of off-road driving enthusiasts or just about anyone, who wants to test the capabilities of their car. You can get off the track where the power line stretches and ride along the beautiful, winding forest paths and steep sand hills! After such dizzying entertainment, we recommend stopping at a nearby pub “Oškrogs” for a delicious meal and trying their signature dessert.
When you get out of the woods, you will enter the historical town of Jaunjelgava, founded in the 16th century, which still retains the charm of the times past.
