Riga and Pieriga.

Section 3. Vangaži - Rāmkalni.

Practical information

Length: 13 km

Duration: 4 – 6 h

Starting point: Vangaži Centre, Gaujas street

End point: Recreation park “Rāmkalni”

The course of the route: Vangaži – Pavēji – Kārļzemnieki – Rāmkalni

Road surface: Gravel roads, forest roads and paths.

Difficulty: easy

Danger points: Cross the motorway Murjāņi–Valmiera (A3) only in the designated area!

Alternative route options: 

In sections 2 and 3, the Forest Trail offers an alternative route along the right bank of the Gauja River. It starts at Podnieku Street (the distance from the Baltvilla Hotel, which is the beginning of section 2, to the turn of Podnieku Street near the Baltezers Canal Bridge is around 7 km). Next, the alternative route moves along Podnieku Street, Attekas Street and Gaujas Street, through Ādaži, then it crosses the Gauja River along the bridge on the road to Kadaga, and, along the Vecštāle road, leads us up to the guesthouse and campsite Leiputrija (the distance from the turn of Podnieku Street to Leiputrija is around 12 km). In Leiputrija, you can stay overnight and continue to Rāmkalni along the road that leads along the right bank of the Gauja (around 17 km), where section 3 ends.

The alternative route is to be marked in 2022. The gpx map of the alternative Forest Trail section is available here: https://baltictrails.eu/alternatives/Baltezers_Leiputrija_Murjani.gpx.

Attention! After Leiputrija, the alternative route of the Forest Trail passes along a military training facility. Do not trespass the border of the facility under any circumstances!

Shops and catering sites can only be found in Ādaži, Baltezers, Murjāņi and Rāmkalni. Small shop is in Garkalne and campsite Leiputrija (may-september)

Road surface: In Baltezers and Murjāņi, it is asphalt, elsewhere, gravel-covered roads of different sizes. In a short stretch, there is a sandy road.

The only bridges across the Gauja are in Ādaži and Murjāņi. There are no other options for crossing the Gauja River.

The alternative section from Podnieku Street to Rāmkalni as a whole:

Turning points at Podnieku Street and in Baltezers: