I am in Latvia until mid-September when I will compete in the 8th World Rogaining Championships in southern Estonia. To prepare for the rogaining event and to get to know the Latvian countryside better, I am planning a walk across Latvia from the border with Russia in the east to the Baltic Sea in the west.
As the crow flies, this is about 450 km; for the route I have chosen, it is closer to 700 km. I will carry a day pack and will need to find accommodation each night. Generally, Latvia is fairly closely settled and the walk will not take me far from civilization.
However, I have planned to walk on minor roads and forest tracks and this means that the options are limited unless I want to sleep out. There are also some places I want to visit - friends' houses where I will stay, and some of the more interesting natural and historical attractions.
I plan to start at Pasiene, close to the Russian border, on about 27 July. Hopefully, about 24 days later I will arrive at Liepaja, Latvia's third largest city and a port on the Baltic Sea. In later posts I will set out in more detail the preparations I have made and, more specifically, how I hope to achieve my goal.
About Me
- Graham Anderson
- In July/August 2008, I walked across Latvia from the Russian border in the east to Liepaja on the Baltic Sea on Latvia’s west coast – a total of 750 km in 24 days. The blog from that trip is at www.acrossthealps.blogspot.com. The next year, I walked 380km in 11 days from the Lithuanian border, south of Daugavpils to the Estonian border north of Mazsalaca. In 2010, I walked 370 km over 11 days from Nica, on the Lithuanian-Kaliningrad border, to Kolka, the north-west tip of Latvia. I generally describe myself as a “cross-country walker”. In Australia have been rogaining for 18 years and bushwalking for more than 40. In 2005, I completed the Australian Alps Walking Track from Walhalla in Victoria to the Namadgi Park office near Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory - 680 kms over 38 days. In September 2008, Janis Apsitis and I competed in the 8th World Rogaining Championships in southern Estonia, my third World Championship having competed in Western Australia in 1996 and New Zealand in 2000. In 2011, we are unable to visit Latvia. I am going to blog from Melbourne my first visit to Latvia in 1987.
3 comments:
its such an amazing plan!!! it would be a great experiance!!! it is going to be interesting to hear how you go during the walk!!!
It's great to see you up and running with the Blog and I hope you will be able to update it on the go during your walk. I look forward to following your progress
Sveiks Graham!
Novēlu labu ceļa vēju. This is a traditional Latvian farewell. Literally translated it means "I wish you a good wind for your path" - obviously it has a nautical derivation, but you too might like a gentle breeze on your back for the walk to keep you cool and to keep flies away.
I am thrilled to see your Blog is up - I will take it to Latvian school this Saturday to use in my Geography classes.
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