Day 6 - Jaunvilani to Barkava

36km (197km) - 7 hours 50 minutes - weather overcast and windy

I enjoyed the walking today until the last few kms. I felt strong - perhaps because I had eaten well. I hope in fact that there is another explanation as tonight there is no dinner apart from as many mixed nuts as I want to eat. Barkava is smallish and late on Sunday there is apparently nowhere to eat or buy food.
I am staying at the middle school. The school is closed for the summer and I am in a Soviet style barrack building with well over 100 rooms. The room has 2 beds and shares a bathroom with the adjoining room. It is basic and seems to be without hot water.
When I arrived, I found the door locked. I phoned Andris, with whom Ziedonis had spoken last week. We had a difficult conversation, my Latvian was inadequate and he had no English. I eventually understood that I was at the wrong door, and through the correct door I should find, what sounded like, 'the commandant'.
I did and we did our business with a minimum of talking. She answered my query about food in a way which discouraged further inquiry. It is an experience. The corridors are unlit and I am at one end. There is no one in the adjoining room, or possibly, the whole floor. Should I lock my room when I go to the shared bathroom? I will survive.
There is 29km of bitumen to Madona tomorrow. I joined the road 6km before Barkava - there is less than a metre to walk on beside the road. I have pretty sore feet and a small blister on the inside of my left heel.
Looking ahead, I can probably drop off a few kms by going more directly. Fewer kms means shorter days and less effort required.
Today I walked long stretches non-stop, the first 12km to Varaklani along the Moscow road and, after Varaklani, the next 17km through the backblocks.


The countryside seems more prosperous - there is intensive cropping and I even saw a fenced paddock with a herd of 40 cows, including a few calves.


The hay was in round bales, in some cases covered in plastic. Different to the traditional hayricks in Latgale.


There are still many abandoned buildings - mainly houses and farm buildings but also Soviet-era industry and four-storey accommodation blocks built generally out of stark white bricks.

I think we have moved out of Latgale into one of the other 3 provinces though I am not sure whether it is Zemgale or Vidzeme.

I think Varaklani is on the boundary. I spent over an hour walking through Varaklani. Fortunately, the larger tourist map of the town showed the layout of the manor and surrounding park.

The present manor house was built in the 1780s, though the manor was established in the 15th century. I had a quick look inside, although there was a wedding in progress in part of it.


The surrounding park was mainly of oak and, I think, linden trees. It was very impressive - the garden is much more established than the recreated garden at Rundle castle and although laid out to a design had a wildness about it. I read that the park has been recognised (I think by an official European body) as one of the 100 best maintained sites of cultural significance in Europe!
There is a 'milestibas akmens' (love stone) in the park - I have seen references to these in Latvia but am not sure about their significance.
Generally, the most significant building in the towns or countryside is the local church. In Varaklani, on the northern outskirts, was the first Lutheran church I have passed. Latgale is regarded as predominantly Catholic and the rest of Latvia as Lutheran. I popped into the Catholic church (a very stolid building) as midday mass had just started. There were over 250 at the service. Down the road, the Lutheran church is a fine looking building, but it was not in use.
And finally, just a few words about the blog. It usually takes me a couple of hours to pick out, or if I sit at a table, to type out on the tiny keyboard. I usually send it to Juris without rereading, hoping he might correct my worst mistakes.
I haven't quite got the hang of responding to the comments on the blog. I do connect when I can and very much appreciate the fact that so many have written in. Thank you Jana for your very warm, and too insightful, words.
I am not looking forward to the walking tomorrow, but it will be great to reach Madona and hopefully meet up with Mark and Nils (the journalist from 'Dienas bizness').