Day 3 - Kaunata to Dvarci

41km (100km) - 9 hours 5 minutes - weather warm to hot

A long day. What went wrong? It was the day for climbing Liepukalns, Latgale's highest point - 289m. Ziedonis has developed knee problems; he took the shorter route, around the lake to tonight's accommodation.
Things started well. Both maps showed a clear track to the top. The roads looked minor but that is not much indication of what the reality will be. The minor track deteriorated rapidly. It had not been driven on for years. The undergrowth was at times head high, though following the track was not difficult.

Everything seemed to marry up. I found what I thought was the track to the summit. I walked too far and started climbing what I thought was Liepukalns. Near the top I could see another peak closeby. I thought I must have climbed the slightly lower twin peak so I retraced my steps and climbed what must have been Liepukalns.
On the approaches to both summits there was extensive tree felling (to open up the view?) and at the point where the last climb up to Liepukalns ought to have been, there was a cut-off stick with the top few cm painted red. I was pretty satisfied that I had got both peaks.
I had wasted a bit of time but was going well and the maps showed it was only a few hundred metres to the road to Dubuli.
A couple of hours later, I was no further advanced. I had bush-bashed down countless tracks without success. So I went back the way I had come

and about 9km later I came across a sign - Liepukalns 2.7km pointing in the direction I had hoped to emerge from. I almost went the 2.7km to see where I had gone wrong.

At Dubuli, I desparately needed water and asked for directions. Vita left her Mum and showed me where it was.
We chatted as we walked and what she said made me think that Liepukalns should not have been hard to find, particularly from the direction of Dubuli. Did I climb Latgale's highest and Latvia's 3rd highest peak? I don't know and am past caring.
The 17km home took about 3 hours. There was a lot of black road (bitumen) walking. The house where we are staying is designed around a tower in order to get a good view over the lake.
The design is tight so there are compromises - I have to go through Ziedonis' room to get to the bathroom and the kitchen is down two flights of stairs. I am really getting picky.
After only 3 days, I am becoming concerned at the effort we are expending compared with the food we are consuming. It is not enough and eventually performance will deteriorate. I can't keep going at this pace without more food and more time to relax.
Most other things are going well. The accommodation has worked well and is generally planned through to the end. We have had no trouble buying bottled water. My language will be adequate particularly as I travel further west. I will write about food in more detail, perhaps tomorrow.
Another journalist, from Dienas bizness, has phoned Anita and wants to walk with me for a day. Where will this end? I was on the home stretch this evening when a car stopped beside me and the driver, in English, asked me how I was going and said he had read about me. He said he had also done a long walk in Spain. Thank-you Raimonds.
Tomorrow, we walk through Rezekne. Perhaps we can eat in a restaurant and restore some calories.