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Latvia 3: Jaunpiebalga to Cēsis

Posted on 27 June 202315 July 2023 by Rob Ainsley

Today I drew a line in the sand for my journey. Metaphorically. And also literally. Because the line was in the sand of the railtrail west from Jaunpiebalga, and it was about two inches deep.

It had looked a promising cycle route on Openstreetmap, marked enigmatically ‘MG’, following the old rail line out to Gulbene. I joined it immediately south of my rural cottage room outside Jaunpiebalga. And immediately wished I hadn’t.

Railtrail out of Jaunpiebalga: Fat-tyred MTBs recommended. Or perhaps tractors.

Sure, it was flat and car-free. But so are most roads and tracks in Latvia. But it was also no fun to cycle: as rough as the blokes in my local Sainsbury who buy cider and scratchcards, as gravelly as Tom Waits after a night on the Jack Daniel’s, and sandy enough to make a decent model of Rīga Castle.

In places it was as corrugated as a corrugated iron roof, too: somebody had evidently driven along it from Gulbene to Cēsis in a tractor.

Routefinding no problem, but can’t say the same for the staying upright: Railtrail out of Jaunpiebalga

I couldn’t admire the scenery – not that it would have been any different from regular Latvian road scenery, ie trees – because I had to concentrate on my front wheel all the time. I’d thought ‘What’s my line’ was a 1950s TV panel game, not a cycling manifesto.

Every few seconds my wheels ground to a halt in a haphazard dune, and I had to dismount and push before finding somewhere firm enough to remount.

LATVIA FACTS 3

The highest point in Latvia is the Gaising or Gaiziņkalns (German: Mesenberg) at 312m / 1,024 ft above sea level, in the east of the country not far from the town of Madona.

After two miles I’d had enough, and drew my metaphorical line in the sand too. I decided to take the longer ‘main road’ route on tarmac via Vecpiebalaga, to the south. It was two sides of a triangle and added ten miles or so to the journey, including a sprawling five-mile roadworks, but was much preferable.

Sweet: Pastry time in Vecpiebalga

As usual, this ‘main road’ had virtually no traffic, and was very pleasant cycling, rolling gently up and down through green farmland.

I breakfasted on supermarket pastries by the lake at Vecpiebalga, thus collecting my set of Piebalgas. (In Latvian, ‘vec’ means ‘old’, and ‘jaun’ means ‘new’)

There’s always somewhere to sit and picnic in Latvia: Vecpiebalga

Now I was heading nor’-nor’-west, with a genial tailwind, very light traffic, gentle slopes, and crucially, tarmac as smooth and welcoming as Terry Wogan’s Radio 2 voice.

Welcome to the nearest things to Latvian alps: Brežģa Hill and tower

So slopey, in fact, that I reached one of the highest points in Latvia before I knew it: the 255m topping of Brežģa.

I can see trees: View from Brežģa Hill tower

As summits go Brežģa is definitely in the Danish, rather than Austrian, league. However, it has a fine wooden watchtower on the top that you can climb, for a very unusual view in Latvian terms: a downwards one.

Apparently Latvia has 3,000 lakes: Alauksts from Brežģa tower

Having panoramised, and briefly been perhaps the country’s highest picnicker, I could enjoy a gently oscillating downwards trend towards Cēsis.

Your carriage awaits: Not-everyday transport in Taurenē

At Taurenē, which I’d thought was an ingredient of Red Bull, I was startled to see a fancy fairytale-styled carriage parked outside a house. Maybe Cinderella uses Uber these days.

Still too sandy: The railtrail near Dzērbene

A bit further on I saw where the railtrail I’d avoided joined, and was not unhappy with my decision to stick the road. I crossed over the A2 ‘motorway’ and ambled the last ten miles to Cēsis.

Cycle touring makes you happy: Adventurers outside Cēsis

After being the only person on a bike since I started, I gradually saw a few more cyclists, even a couple of people cycle-touring, outside Cēsis.

Blooming lovely: Rīgas iela in Cēsis

My guidebook calls it the ‘cutest town in Latvia’, which seems fair enough. I enjoyed trundling the historic centre, with its castle, cobbledy lanes, mix of old stone and wood buildings, and flower boxes. And pavement bistros in car-free squares, with local beer.

Vec and Jaun: Cēsis castle old and new

And a super-cheap canteen, well frequented by locals, in perhaps a surprising place: the upmarket-looking bistro of the Concert Hall. (€2.60 for a plate of chicken and sweet potato.)

Refreshment no problem in Cēsis Old Town

And, upliftingly, a super-nice hostel right in the centre of the Old Town.

Miles today: 44
Miles since Borderland: 110

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