It appears that someone has scattered nature wonders across Latvia as if planting seeds in the field. When you are sowing – some places get a sprinkle more than others. At Skaņaiskalns, the wonders of nature have gathered in abundance—caves, cliffs, and werewolf pines—all nestled alongside the picturesque banks of a river. And as if nature’s beauty wasn’t enough, someone has added a touch of artistry with wooden sculptures, making this park a perfect destination for a weekend getaway.
For those eager to add extra steps to their journey, there is a chance to continue the adventure along the Dauģēni Nature Trail, which begins right where the Skāņaiskalns trail ends.
So let’s venture towards Mazsalaca to explore both enchanting nature trails and discover which of the two suits you the best.
Jump to:
Skāņaiskalns Nature Park
Atrašanās vieta: Starting point
Costs: You have to purchase an entrance ticket at the beginning of the trail. Prices and working hours.
How long is the trail: Skāņaiskalns ~3km one way (~6km roundtrip). In addition you can also do Dauģēni trail which is extra 10 km one way.
How to get there: With a car
Our adventure begins at the ticket booth of Skāņaiskalns Nature Park. Here, we face a choice: the forest trail or the asphalt road. Let’s embrace both, taking the forest path on our way in and the asphalt road on our way back. Variety is the spice of life.
Do You Want to Become a Werewolf? Skāņaiskalns Werewolf Pine
Amidst the forest, we encounter the mystical Werewolf Pine. There are no education signs. But I know a legend. In Latvian folk tales passing naked through a pine trunk during a full moon transforms you into a werewolf.
While I doubt many would take up this challenge, the tree itself, with its knotted, pocketed trunk would be perfect for this sorcery.
These pines truly look extraordinary. So even if you have no desire to turn into a hairy creature with an intense need to howl at the moon, it is a perfect photo opportunity.
Skaņaiskalns Birds and Other Wooden Sculptures
When translated from Latvian to English Skaņaiskalns would translate as the ‘Mountain of good sound’ or something along those lines. So here is a pop quiz for you – who creates melodious sounds in the forest?
Birds of course. Their beautiful songs accompany you through most of the nature trail. So the wooden sculptures of birds that are scattered through Skaņaiskalns are truly a perfect fit for the place. They beautifully fill in the gaps between natural wonders along the trail, to keep you engaged.
But birds are not the only ones immortalized in sculptures. In Skaņaiskalns Nature Park, you will also find sculptures of fish, people, and even a wooden bicycle you can ride.
Skaņaiskalns Angel’s Cave
Soon enough we reach the first cliff of the day. If you’ve heard stories about the cliff in Skaņaiskalns that eco, when shouted at – screaming at this one, is pointless; it’s not THAT cliff. We will reach that one later. However, this one has its own charm.
It’s a beautiful orange – brown cliff on the riverbank, featuring the Angel’s Cave. Why is it called the Angel’s Cave? Look at the rock formation carefully. I can see a stylized angel there. Can you see it too?
Work For Your Dreams – the Stairs of Dreams
Further along, we encounter an intriguing sign – the Stairs of dreams. Sounds romantic!
But as you approach this attraction, you realize they are tall wooden stairs which look rather worrying than dreamy. The idea is simple – if you have a dream, you need to think about it and count the steps as you climb up the stairs. If you count correctly, your wish will come true.
Well, I could climb and count the steps for you… But honestly, I’m already exhausted just looking at these stairs. I know one should work for their dreams, but this climb feels more like a nightmare. So I’ll pass.
Impressive Skaņaiskalns Devil’s cave
Soon enough, you’ll recognise a pattern. Many names along this trail are associated with mischief. There is Devil’s Cave, Devil’s Stone, Devil’s Desk. And even a witches’ cottage, with the witch itself. This one doesn’t fly on the broom though. Looks like Latvian witches have propellers stuck to their backs.
Luckily for us, the Devil is not home today. So it means we can explore one of his residences – Skaņaiskalns Devil’s cave safely.
The exterior of the cave is quite beautiful – orange-gray rock walls covered with moss and decorated with carvings.
The inside of the cave is pitch black. One wouldn’t be able to tell if there was someone standing on the other end, or even – how long the tunnel is. So let’s bring out a flashlight!
Oh, it turns out the cave chamber is quite large. Larger than I expected based on the size of the entrance.
The Skābuma baļļa (Sour Pool) with seemingly no sourness?
What’s sour? Lemon juice is. But the Sour Pool is not. It’s actually a small cave from which a clear water spring flows.
So why call it Sour then? Turns out the sourness comes from a legend. The same Devil whose residence we visited once spilled a local drink called “Sour”. And at that place where the sour was spilled the spring started flowing.
I bet curiosity is probably tormenting you now. What is this mystical “Sour” drink?
I’ll ease your torture – according to Delfi, “Sour” is a refreshing drink made by the people of Vidzeme from coarse rye flour. Now we both know more.
View of the Neļķu Cliffs
Obviously one cliff is not enough. So here are some more!
Neļķu cliffs can only be enjoyed from a distance. But they beautifully blend into the surrounding landscape and are quite photogenic.
If you are looking for the best spot to view these from, you’ll find that in Velna kancele (Devil’s desk).
All Paths Lead to the Skāņaiskalns Cliff
And finally, we have reached the main attraction of the trail – the Skaņaiskalns Cliff. This is the cliff (or one may say a mountain) of sound, as this is the one that echoes back when you shout at it. Unfortunately, there is a wedding party here to take some pictures. So I feel a bit embarrassed to scream. Perhaps you will be braver?
Vocal superpowers aside, it’s a large rock wall sitting on the opposite side of the river. An interesting detail are the many round holes in it. Could it be that there is something living in them?
Skāņaiskalns Dwarf Trail – Have We Teleported to Tērvete?
For a little side quest on your way back…
It’s no secret that in Latvia, wooden dwarfs are associated with Tērvete. It’s the place where most of Latvian children see this fairytail character in real life for the first time.
So, when I spotted the first dwarf on the Skāņaiskalns Dwarf Trail, I couldn’t resist taking a photo and posting it on social media with the question, “Guess where I am?” To see how many of my friends will guess Tervete.
The dwarfs here seem very busy – working with their little axes and saws. Building something.
Dauģēni Nature Trail
Sākuma punkts – pie Skaņākalna klints.
When you are done exploring Skaņaiskalns …
Should You Walk the Dauģēni Trail As Well?
Good question.
It depends on your interests and on how much time you have. If you enjoy long walks amidst nature, the Dauģēni trail offers an ideal opportunity. Stretching approximately 10 km in one direction, the trail takes you through a serene forest setting. However, compared to the Skaņaiskalns Nature Park, the Dauģēni trail has way fewer attractions. Its main allure lies in its untouched natural beauty. So if you are just after touristy places and photo spots… Then the trail might seem a bit boring to you.
Also I find navigating Dauģēni trail a challenge (you’ll see why), so I wouldn’t recommend this one to people who tends to get lost easily. But we want to achieve our daily step goal, so we will explore this path as well.
!!! Important warning
It looks like there are a lot of ticks on this trail. We picked a whole 3. It might be a coincidence, but please take safety measures – get appropriate clothing and anti-tick spray. And check if no ticks are crawling on you time after time.
Take Orientation on the Daugēni Nature Trail As a Challenge
Do you like challenges?
Good. Your first test is finding the trail itself, as there are no clear indications of the direction for “Dauģēni trail” at the Skaņākalnas cliff. However, there is a small forest path that starts from the camping area, which might be the one we are looking for. There’s no harm in trying, right?
Let’s go.
After a while, our perseverance pays off – there is a stand showcasing a map of attractions, confirming that we have indeed found the entrance to the Dauģēni trail. Hooray!
It is so quiet and peaceful here (except for the bird songs). We are the only people here today. It’s us, the trees, the moss, and the blueberry bushes.
To navigate our path, we have to rely on these small signs with icons of people, occasionally appearing on the trees.
But when we get to the intersection… I warned you this will be a challenge. Can you please explain to me how to read this sign? What do those numbers mean? And why is one number indicated in several directions?
There is no network to check the map either. Therefore, we will have to rely on our logical thinking.
Considering the map we previously consulted, it appeared that the majority of attractions were nestled alongside the river. So the wisest course of action seems to stay close to the river.
So we walk. And we walk for a long time. I am starting to feel a bit anxious that we are lost. But then, we spot a well-maintained picnic area. That must mean we’re heading in the correct direction, right?
Where Is the Covs’ Cave of Dauģēni Trail?
Let’s continue.
It’s hard to gauge how far we’ve walked. But finally, we see a sign “Govs ala” (Cov’s cave). While we should be pleased with this discovery, it also implies that we have unintentionally missed the Simaņu Rock—an exquisite formation with caves and a spring—and the huge Simaņu Rock. I wouldn’t be a terrible teammate in an orienteering competition, would I?
Oh well. Let’s just look for Covs cave on the opposite side of the river. Do you see anything?
I don’t.
The moral of the story here – always read the fine print.
When you read the description of the attraction, you will find out that Cows’ Cave was once here. But it has since collapsed. This is now the site where the Cows’ Cave once was. This is one of those facepalm moments.
But don’t worry – everything will only go up from here. There will be attractions on the Dauģēni trail that we will actually see.
The Photogenic Boardwalk of the Dauģēni Trail
After Cows Cave, you have to go through an overgrown meadow. We’re not the ones who give up easily, are we? And our endurance pays off. Because after a while, you get to a beautiful footpath with reeds growing on both sides. It’s Kanieri’s little cousin!
This photogenic place motivates us to go further. And as I said – it only gets better.
The Pot of Gold at the End of the Rainbow – Dauģēni Rocks
We have finally arrived at the most famous attraction of the trail – Dauģēni rocks.
.Here you’ll find some steps, that allows you to climb down and examine the cliff’s rough texture up close. These rocks bears a striking resemblance to the rocks at Skaņaiskalns. They share the same colour and both has those small round holes in them.
There is also a beautiful view from the cliffs. On the way here, time after time, the river delighted us by breaking the routine of the forest. But the view of the river valley from the top of the rocks is undeniably the most beautiful. Isn’t it?
This is where we go back along the same path. As I later found out – this is how we missed the bridge and another big rock which we could have seen if we walked a bit further. I guess I would really do terribly in an orienteering competition
But that’s alright.
We are back at Skaņaiskalns. So let’s take the other (asphalt) road to the parking lot. So we see some more attractions – Devil’s Rock and wooden sculptures. Including the Dwarf Trail, which I already talked about a little in this article.
This was indeed an adventure. From the abundance of sights of Skaņaiskalns Nature Park to the untouched forest in the Dauģēni nature trail. And I hope you can appreciate my honesty – with all the ups and downs. But now it’s time to have dinner, spend the night, and see interesting places in Valmiera. I will tell you all about that in the next blog post.
Other things to see and do in Latvia