Leaving the city behind, the sweetest part of this trip is taking the country road across the meadow and soon entering another world that resembles the Open Air Museum. There are a few farmsteads located here, which radiate peace and make you leave the city with its anxiety behind, feeling Gauja National Park the calming and invigorating atmosphere. This place is like a dividing line that separates the city from the countryside almost in an instant. All around the "san" meadow with its many inhabitants and the pleasant summer breeze of the sandbank.
Devil's cave
Leaving this idyllic place, the road goes down into the Gauja valley to take you to Devil's beer. A bit of coolness and the shade of the trees, going through the forest, and very soon the expanse of the Gauja and the pedestrian bridge opens up to the view. Although on this trip, I have planned to cross the Gauja before going over it, this time I choose the gazebo in front of the Devil's Cave rock to see the familiar view from there. I've never been to the Devil's cave itself, but I like this typical red sandstone rock that is so characteristic of the Gauja National Park.
The rock of the Devil's Cave does not bring me special associations with ancient Latvian beliefs, and it is difficult to imagine it as a dwelling place of some mythical creatures, because the atmosphere here is completely ordinary and pleasant, even light, perhaps for those who have stayed in the Devil's dwelling, it is different. The vastness of Gauja opens before my eyes with small, very light waves blown by the wind and the wonderful rock. I made a short break to wash my hands in the Gauja water before going back across the Gauja into the forest.
After having a small lunch from the delicacies we brought with us, we go on the second stage of the short journey, which also involves some physical difficulties, as we have to get back up the mountain. However, there are opportunities to stop to see the charming Gauja valley. This is my favorite part of the trip because for cycling, there is a wonderful forest road with several scenic places to stop and a gazebo to view the Gauja Valley. This stage is another opportunity to enjoy the closeness of nature, to look with your eyes to see if you will be able to see a squirrel in a tree branch or running across the road, until, just like out of a fairy tale, a forest cabin appears.
The place is called "Hunter's Lodge" and the building may have survived from the manor's time. It has large stone foundations covered by fern roots. This is another boundary to gradually return to civilization, because after only a few hundred meters, you will be able to reach Krimulda Castle with its wonderful Swiss atmosphere of Vidzeme. Very gloomy clouds gather near the lodge and we have to flee, because it seems that the rain will end this trip. However, this time we are lucky and when we reach Krimuld, the rain clouds disappear, the sun shines brightly in the sky, allowing us to sit on the terrace of the cafe to enjoy the magic of this place.
The road does not end here, although the unique Krimulda manor complex and its ancient buildings are a wonderful place where there are not many people, and it seems that for a moment you have entered another, completely different reality with a historical breath. Here is the beginning of the most active part of the road, as there is a drive down the Serpentine road to the Gauja bridge. Finally, the wind whistles a little past your ears and you can rush down the hill, where the paved path makes the trip pleasant, but the serpentine bends are interesting. "Vžžžžžžžzzz", and soon the Gauja bridge was reached.
After crossing the Gauja bridge, both for safety reasons and to avoid having to go up the hill, I choose the lazy way - to go to the park "Tarzan", so that you can easily get back to Sigulda by lift. Here it is pleasant to feel the vibrating atmosphere of the "Tarzan" park and receive a completely different charge of energy. Music is playing in the loudspeakers and everyone is driving in all possible directions, leaning, climbing, crawling, lining up at the ticket offices. We are back. In the confusion, returning to the people - I crash - almost falling off the bike, and I'm back. We only have to go through the lift ride and we are at the Svetku Square.
English (UK) 
Latviešu valoda