Piekrastes Stirnu buks

Congratulations! You’ve reached the description page of trail run’s “Stirnu buks” sixth (!!!) seasons first stage.

Start/Finish: Carnikava park. GoogleMap here!

Competition programme: HERE!

Detailed distance maps: HERE!

The GPX files are available here (click "Save link as"!): “Vāvere – GPX”, “Zaķis – GPX”, “Stirnu buks – GPX”, “Lūsis – GPX”.

Why will the season open in Carnikava? Because this is a truly beautiful place near the sea where trail runners will be delighted to see the pine surrounded seashore, forest lakes and estuary of the sea of Latvia’s most magnificent river – Gauja. People of Carnikava are proud of their lamprey fishing traditions that have lasted for centuries thanks to the local masters.

Carnikava county is located by Vidzeme shore of Riga sea bay and lasts from Kalngale up to Lilaste. Nature park "Piejūra" takes up one fifth of county’s territory and it stretches out 19 km next to the Riga sea bay. The park is rich with seashores, dunes, forests and lakes.

River Gauja is considered the most beautiful in Latvia and its groove is the only estuary of the sea that has not been transformed by any construction work. It’s a truly special experience to go there and see the meeting of two powerful forces – the river and the sea. Notably one of the most significant bird migration routes goes through the Piejūra nature park.

But the centre of the race itself will be in Carnikava that is an ancient fishermen parish and has become famous all over Latvia as a place where people have gone lamprey fishing for hundreds of years. As the time has passed words "lamprey" and "Carnikava" have become nearly synonymous.

Pre-war press called Carnikava the "kingdom of lampreys" and not in vain – lampreys have always been an important source of income for locals, as well as a symbol of the region but being a lamprey fisherman has been a thing of honour. In 2015 Carnikava lampreys were added to the EU's Protected Designations of Origin list, which shows that local lampreys are unique not only in Latvia but in all of Europe as well.

Organization of trail runs first stage is also supported by locals – thank you to Carnikava county and especially Head of Sport strategy department Edvīns Krūms!

See you in Seashore forests!!!

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