Zaķi – Forest Trail, Landscape and Zvārtava Castle

The section of the Forest Trail that ends in Zaķi lies in the Ziemeļgauja protected landscape area. The area is also part of Natura 2000, a European network of designated protected areas.

• The 11th section leads from the Spicu Bridge to Zaķi.
• The route crosses the Cirgaļi dune massif from north to south.
• The four Kokši Lakes are located approximately 4 km from the Spicu Bridge.
• 1.5 km after Zaķi, the trail leaves the Sēļi–Vireši road (P23) and continues along a small country road towards Zvārtava.

The Spicu Bridge and Zaķi therefore mark different points of the section: the bridge is the starting point, while Zaķi is its destination. The Kokši Lakes are not directly at the destination, but are reached along the route from the Spicu Bridge.

The landscape along the Forest Trail alternates between the Ziemeļgauja protected area, the Cirgaļi dune massif and the group of four Kokši Lakes. The protected status and inclusion in Natura 2000 give the section a clearly nature-oriented setting, without limiting the route to a single type of landscape.

The route crosses Cirgaļi in a north–south direction. The dune massif is therefore not merely a single point beside the trail, but a spatially defining part of the route. The Kokši Lakes, by contrast, form a clearly distinct group of four bodies of water. Their approximate distance of 4 km from the Spicu Bridge helps with orientation, but is explicitly an approximate value.

The 11th section uses small forest roads, trails and gravel roads. The surface therefore changes along the route; it is not a continuously paved road section. For describing the route, both the starting point at the Spicu Bridge and the different types of paths leading to Zaķi are therefore relevant.

After Zaķi, the road alignment changes again. 1.5 km after the village, the trail leaves the Sēļi–Vireši road (P23) and continues along a small country road towards Zvārtava. At the end of a long tree-lined avenue, Zvārtava Castle comes into view.

For more information, see the pages on Turna, Valka, Omuļi and Ērģeme.

Are there any services along the 11th section?

There are no services along the 11th section in Zaķi. Therefore, plan your logistics and accommodation in advance.

Which bus connection links Zaķi with the surrounding places?

The Smiltene–Gaujiena bus connection links Zaķi with Aumeisteri, Zvārtava and Gaujiena.

What is located at the end of the country road towards Zvārtava?

Zvārtava Castle stands at the end of the long tree-lined avenue. It was built in 1881, is a state-protected cultural monument of national significance and houses the Museum of the Latvian Artists’ Union.

Which route does the 12th section of the Forest Trail describe?

The 12th section leads from Zaķi via Zvārtava to Gaujiena.

To the overview of the wider trip: Valkas Municipality.