Mežtaka - Cauri pilsētai

Metsa matkaraja alguspunkt Lätis asub Riia vanalinnas, Raekoja platsil. Rada kulgeb piki Kaļķu tänavat, mööda Vabadussambast, läbi Vērmane aia ja jätkub Tērbata (Tartu) maanteel, ületab Zemitāni raudteejaama jalakäijate silla ning suundub Biķernieki ja Šmerlise metsadesse. Tee läbib Läti etnograafilise vabaõhumuuseumi ja kulgeb mööda kergliiklusteed Baltezersi külani.

Metsa matkaraja üks kõige maalilisemaid lõike kulgeb läbi Līgatne paberivabriku ajaloolise töölisküla, möödub Spriņģi paljandist, tiirutab mööda Skaļupe matkarada ja mütoloogilist rada, põikab läbi ühest Nõukogude aja kõige salajasemast kohast – suurest maa-alusest punkrist ‒ siinpool raudset eesriiet ning suundub edasi Roči looduskaitsealale, ületab Amata jõe (selles lõigus on Amata kõige ilusam ja paljandirohkem) ning jõuab lõpuks välja Zvārte paljandini. Järgmiseks kulgeb metsa matkarada Amata oru kõrgetel kallastel ning suundub mööda ajaloolist Cēsise–Riia “maanteed” (praegu väike külavahetee, mille ääres on vanad teetähised) Rakšisse, tõuseb üles Vāļukalni mägedele ja Ozolkalnsi. Gauja jõe kaldaid pidi edasi suundudes kohtub metsa matkarada Cīrulīši loodusradadega. Päeva teekond lõpeb Gauja tänaval, kuid matkajad võivad kõndida rada mööda edasi Cēsisesse (2,8 km), veeta seal öö ning jätkata sealt järgmisel päeval teekonda.

Mahult Letipeani kulgeb metsa matkarada väikestel merelähedastel teedel ja väiksemas lõigus ka mööda rannikut. Letipea neeme lähedal on tihe kadakavõsa. Kel käimata, tasub ette võtta kokku 1,5-kilomeetrine retk Ehalkivi juurde. Simunamäelt 3 km edasi liikudes kulgeb rada Põhja-Eesti paekalda jalamil, mis on kaetud vana loodusmetsaga. Mereni on siit umbes kilomeeter. Lontova mõisa ümbruses on infotahvlid Kunda ajalooga. Kundas, eriti Kunda jõe ääres on mitmeid põnevaid vaatamisväärsusi, mis on seotud linnas asuva tsemenditehasega.

The Forest Trail passes by the Gulf of Tallinn, and beautiful views of the towers, harbour and skyscrapers of the city can be seen as early as in Püünsi. The Forest Trail turns into a beautiful pine forest before Pirita, then follows along a sandy beach for 2 km. Behind Pirita all the way to the Port of Tallinn, the Forest Trail takes you along the beautiful city waterfront promenade, which overlooks the city’s most important cultural and historical sites, and offers beautiful views of the sea and the port. The final destination of the Forest Trail is located in the Port of Tallinn, next to the Old Town. You can spend another day or two visiting various tourist locations of Tallinn.

From the Kaunas Lagoon Regional Park Visitor Centre, the Forest Trail leads through the Rokų forest and along the Miškininkų, Kelmyno, Muraškinės, Žarstos, Garšvės and Rokelių streets, circles the Kaunas suburbs, crosses the Marijampolė road (No. 139) and continues in the direction of Balčkalnio street to Panemunė district. At the stadium of Kaunas University of Technology Engineering Lyceum, it descends to Vaidoto street, then continues along the sidewalk to Baterijos highway, where it turns left. About a third of Kaunas city area is occupied by parks and other nature territories. The Forest Trail crosses the city through its greenest parts. About 2.5 km long the Forest Trail passes through the Panemunė pinewood, which has a dense network of trails, recreation areas and a beach. The Forest Trail crosses the Nemunas along the Three Virgin Bridge, leads through Gričiupis district, runs along Kaunas Zoo, crosses the vast Oak-Wood Park (Ąžuolynas) and leads through Vytauto Park behind the Lithuanian Sports University. Down the park stairs, the path descends to the beginning of the Avenue of Freedom (Laisvės Alėja) and continues to the destination of the section in Kaunas center.

IMPORTANT. There are no markings where itineraries are crossing the territory of Kaunas city.

Kaunas is the second largest city in Lithuania. The 1621 m long Avenue of Freedom (Laisvės Alėja) stands out for its unique modernist architecture – its 1914–1940 buildings has received the European Heritage Label. Vilniaus street is the “gateway” to the medieval city of Kaunas, run by Hanseatic merchants. The Forest Trail runs along Avenue of Freedom (Laisvės Alėja), crosses the Old Town of Kaunas with churches, the Town Hall Square and historical buildings, and throws a circle along Confluence Park (Santakos parkas), where Lithuania's largest rivers, the Nemunas and the Neris, meet. After crossing the Neris river, the Forest Trail continues along the footpaths and bicycle paths to the 4 km distant former Lampėdis gravel quarry, which is flooded and now is a popular place for recreation and swimming.

IMPORTANT. There are no markings where itineraries are crossing the territory of Kaunas city.

Along the main street of Snēpele, the Forest Trail takes the road V1294 and after 0.3 km opposite Ķepšu lake turns right onto a small country road. Along this road, the Forest Trail bends to Slipiņciems, before crossing Sprincupe along the dam, where a pond has been created. Then the Forest Trail goes in the direction of Pelči. Nearby Pelči, the trail bends along Pelču Dambu ponds, leads to the Kuldīga–Pelču road (V1293) and further stretches through the Kuldīga garden areas – “Kurzemīte” and “Rumba”, until it reaches the Venta bank and the Kuldīga bypass. From there to the Old Brick Bridge, the Forest Trail for 2.4 km leads along a beautiful Venta coastal path, where there are wooden bridges and footbridges in wetter places and across streams town of Kurzeme.

The itinerary is an alternative way to get from Jūrmala to Riga by going through the forest. After passing the bridge across the Lielupe River, the Baltic Coastal Hiking Route snakes through Priedaine with its wooden buildings, goes along the right bank of the Lielupe River, then turns towards the Southern part of Bolderāja Dune and crosses Kleisti forest past Lāčupe Cemetery. Next, it goes along the historic roads of Pārdaugava on the West bank of the Daugava River, namely, Buļļu and Daugavgrīvas iela, through Dzegužkalns Hill, passing the Zunda Canal and Āgenskalns bay until reaching the Daugava River, which the route crosses via the Stone bridge and then stops at Town Hall Square.