Cycling south through Latvia from 1 June

Brauktprieks Maršruti, trases, braucieni
1

Hello. My name is Paula and I am an adventurer from the UK. Sorry I don’t speak Latvian. I plan to cycle through Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania from 27 May 2017 as part of my ‘50 Good Turns’ challenge - see www.paulareid.com. I have three requests from this forum please?

  1. Any suggested routes from Ikla (Estonian border south-west) through Latvia to Vilnius?
  2. Any charities I can help en route?
  3. Does anyone want to cycle with me? I have someone for Estonia, but not Latvia or Lithuania and I think it would be nice and helpful if I cycle with local people :). I think I may start cycling through Latvia (Ikla probably) on 1 June.
    Thanks! Paula
2

Hallo, Paula!
Nice to see more and more cyclo travelers in our country.
My preffered route be something like this. You will see much more from Latvia :) Good luck and enjoy trip. https://www.google.lv/maps/dir/Ikla,+86005+Pērnavas+apriņķis,+Igaunija/Viļņa,+Viļņas+apriņķis,+Lietuva/@56.0603231,23.9630727,7z/data=!4m29!4m28!1m20!1m1!1s0x46ec47753f53200f:0xa00b36f6fe4f860!2m2!1d24.3696999!2d57.8822999!3m4!1m2!1d25.301004!2d57.3247931!3s0x46ebe171352c6f4d:0xfa883ad151043767!3m4!1m2!1d25.8079487!2d57.0577074!3s0x46e978cbdd9377c9:0xb0cfdbaeb450adaa!3m4!1m2!1d26.0418686!2d56.9523596!3s0x46e9850e8454acad:0xf228db1ed6405a6!1m5!1m1!1s0x46dd93fb5c6408f5:0x400d18c70e9dc40!2m2!1d25.2796514!2d54.6871555!3e0

3

Paula, will you be using a road bike for the trip?

4

Welcome to Latvia :)

I second the question about bicycle - roads are crap in most of Latvia.

I would not suggest taking part of the route suggested here as there is a big reconstruction project going on along P30.
Also, as much as I hate trash talking my own country, I would suggest keeping away from “big” roads - drivers can be disrespectful.

No idea about charities, unfortunately.

I can probably join you for a part of the ride, but I can only know if I can a few days before (strange job I have).

This is the route I would suggest: https://www.google.lv/maps/dir/Ikla/Vilnius/@55.8029789,25.4457027,9z/data=!4m64!4m63!1m55!1m1!1s0x46ec47753f53200f:0xa00b36f6fe4f860!2m2!1d24.3696999!2d57.8822999!3m4!1m2!1d25.0462292!2d57.8538364!3s0x46ec7101331c0cdb:0x5aabd9e958ecc548!3m4!1m2!1d25.0462292!2d57.8538364!3s0x46ec7101331c0cdb:0x5aabd9e958ecc548!3m4!1m2!1d25.4260237!2d57.5336356!3s0x46ebee9d4f0f16d9:0xf0904f23138e4548!3m4!1m2!1d25.4215021!2d57.5278424!3s0x46ebee9b41d95433:0x6f9b327d04e32f58!3m4!1m2!1d25.301004!2d57.3247931!3s0x46ebe171352c6f4d:0xfa883ad151043767!3m4!1m2!1d25.6092951!2d57.3313298!3s0x46ebdc7223ce557b:0x7804f4a2b8fa874f!3m4!1m2!1d25.9224144!2d57.2135112!3s0x46ebd4642fe5d22b:0x582079d80f77a318!3m4!1m2!1d25.8079487!2d57.0577074!3s0x46e978cbdd9377c9:0xb0cfdbaeb450adaa!3m4!1m2!1d26.0418686!2d56.9523596!3s0x46e9850e8454acad:0xf228db1ed6405a6!3m4!1m2!1d26.3410568!2d56.7063434!3s0x46e9ea2b3f46ef41:0x4665a9b2ead9d192!1m5!1m1!1s0x46dd93fb5c6408f5:0x400d18c70e9dc40!2m2!1d25.2796514!2d54.6871555!3e0

5

Thank you both very much for those route options, I appreciate it. I look forward to cycling Latvia.

6

Some charity
http://www.zvannieki.lv/?lang=en

7

Sorry, I don’t know how to reply to single comments, but I have a road bike, not a mountain bike. Averza, Inars & Wrongway - do your suggested routes work for a rod bike do you think?

8

Yes, these are tarmac roads. Trekking or sport road bike no problems.
http://lvceli.lv/#valsts-celu-tikls
orange - european routes, blue - local tarmac roads, green - gravel roads.

If You want to visit Latvia’s capital Riga, ride A1 route, later A7 to Lithuanias border. From Panevezys to Vilnius A2 route is highway and bicycles not allowed.