Valka district is one of 26 administrative districts in Latvia. Total area of the district is 2440 km², number of population on January 1, 2006 – 32 089, population density - 13,2 people/km².

Valka district is located in the North East of Latvia in historical region of Vidzeme, it borders with Alūksne, Gulbene, Cēsis, Valmiera districts and Estonia Republic.

The fact that the district is crossed by main roads: Rīga – Tartu, Rīga – Pskov, Valmiera – Gulbene, Valka – Cēsis and a railroad Rīga – Tallinn, helps to reach other regional towns.

93 rivers cross the district’s territory, 41 of those are longer than 10 km. The largest river is the Gauja (about 100 km in the district’s territory); other rivers are Abuls, Seda, Palsa, Nigra, Rauza and Vija.

Valka district is not rich with lakes. There are 133 lakes with total area of 850 ha. Those are mainly small lakes with area of under 10 ha. The biggest lakes are Salainis with 77,8 ha territory, Lizdoles – 53,9 ha, Vēderis – 50,8 ha, Vadainis – 49,6 ha. 22 lakes are bigger than 10 ha.

The biggest territory consists of forest land with 1296,71 km² that makes 53 % from the district’s territory. Second largest territory is farming land - 786,46 km².

In the district the main entrepreneurship areas are forestry and wood processing, agriculture, peat extraction and processing, food processing, metal industry, building material producing, road building, commerce and trade, cloth manufacturing, furniture manufacturing, different services.

Main agriculture sectors are dairy farming, grain and potato farming, pig and horse breeding. Tourism as an entrepreneurship sector in the district has significant potential as some part of the territory lays in the North Vidzeme reserve, the territory is also crossed by the Gauja and the district is located near Estonian border (border towns Valka and Valga), also nature and scenic views play their role.

There are 4 towns - Valka, Smiltene, Strenči and Seda and 17 parishes.

Come and join us in “The great tour around Valka District”

To learn about the beauty of nature, culture and history heritage in Valka district, one can go on a walking tour, go by bike or by car on small country roads, or go on a boat or raft trip down the river Gauja.

Going on a trip around Valka district, you will learn about Valka town, see a stone dedicated to Valka-Valga 400^th anniversary, and visit St. Kathrine’s Evangelic Lutheran church with an observation tower from where you can see one town in two countries. If you have more time, don’t forget home your passport so you can go across the border to Valga. Earlier it was one town, but after 1920 Latvian and Estonian border divides it in two towns. You can visit Valka Museum, which is located in Janis Cimze Vidzeme Teacher seminar premises, it promotes Janis Cimze work and provides information on Valka and its surroundings history. In Cimze cemetery you can have a look at his grave and a memorial stone.

Next the tour will take you to Vijciems church, which is the only church in Latvia covered with fish-scale-like wooden pieces. Vijciems spruce and fir cone drying house is the only non-electric drying system in Latvia where you can see the whole cone drying cycle. Going further on to Smiltene, you will visit Kalnamuiža with Smiltene manor house complex, where the houses (Master’s House, Horse Stable, an ice cellar, a barn, a cheese house) were built in the 18th century and German Order Castle ruins. Continuing towards Mēri you can have rest near the lake Niedrājs. There is a Money Stone near the lake that has many stories about the riches and money, maybe you can get rich. In Mēri you can observe Mēri Manor House and the biggest oak tree in the Baltics. Next the tour takes you to Palsmane, where one of the most interesting and most beautiful classicism churches is located – Palsmane church, which is built in octagon shaper with a bell tower in one corner. Visit Palsmane Manor House where Palsmane Special School is located. When you continue to Variņi, the road will take you to Vilciņu Oak tree, more to Launkalne near the Lejaskleperu house you can observe different forest and farming work items, as well as many other interesting articles.

Near the lake Lizdole you can rest, have a meal, and stay overnight on a campsite or in a tent. On the way to Smiltene, stop near Vecsautiņi well, its water is famous for its taste, it is also said that it gives you the eternal youth. Visiting Silva dendrology you will gain the energy of more than 200 sorts of trees and bushes, regain new strength to continue the trip.

In Smiltene visit Smiltene Evangelic Lutheran church, which is the only church in Latvia built in a cross form when looking from the bird’s view. It is very special with its wood engravings and altarpiece “Resurrection of Christ”. A beautiful panoramic view is seen from 19 m high Lazdukalna observation tower. Cērtenes castle mound, Meteorite crater, town parks and lakes hide within themselves the nature beauty and cultural historical heritage. Riņģu Great Oak is the fifth biggest in Latvia. You can also visit Riņģu Meetinghouse and Jeberleja open air museum.

Next go to Trikata castle mound, which most probably is the ancient Beverina Hill, and the 13^th century Livonian Castle ruins with Swedish isle. Trikata Lutheran church is worth seeing with its painting “The Last Supper”. While in Trikata, visit ancient cult place – Atpils Oak and Rūtiņu Maple, which is the biggest of its sort in Latvia.

On the way to Strenci you can visit “Latvia State Forest” Strenci tree nursery with total area of 47 ha. To get to Strenci town, you must cross a ferroconcrete bridge, built in 1909, which is only 4,5 m wide. Near Strenci on the banks of the river Gauja you can see a sculpture “Rafter of the Gauja”, stone layer of the right bank of the Gauja and an old oak tree with water level marks made during floods. You can also visit Strenci church built in the beginning of the 20^th century, it is a wooden house built in art nouveau style. The mental hospital, which will soon celebrate its 100 anniversary, will surprise you with 35 m high chimney – water tower. The firework station is located in house built in 1910, in its tower the firefighters dry their fire-hoses. Near the cemetery you can also see a 19^th century verst post (1 verst – 3500 m). Memorial stone set up in Strenci train station reminds about the tragic moments of deportation and repressions in 1940’s. Nature-lovers have an opportunity to meet a knowledgeable guide who will show the nature and human-made objects in the forest.

Visiting Seda town, you will travel in time, going back to the 20^th century 50’s – Seda is famous for its unusual town plan, also called Stalin’s Classicism. Pay attention to St Michael’s orthodox parish church, which is situated in a former food shop in the end of the 20^th century.

From Seda you can go through Strenci to Jerceni, where you can visit a manor house built in the beginning of the 20^th century, a Jerceni stone, and Kanepju oak – the third largest oak in Latvia.

In boat centre “Ozoli” you can rent a boat for a trip in Seda ponds, or for fishing and hunting water birds in a hunting season. From an observation tower you can observe the nesting birds.

Next the road takes you to Ēvele, where you can visit a park and manor warehouse built in the 18^th century, as well as Ēvele church. In Kārķi you can visit a Lutheran church that is one of the newest churches in Latvia. Deer garden “Jasmīni” will give you an opportunity to see the life of deers, together with a guide you can also see large trees and interesting nature objects. In an information centre you can play a game about a famous people who have connection to the parish and also you can visit Veckārķi castle ruins (architect Otto Wildau).

In Ērģeme you can see a Livonian Order 14^th century built castle ruins, as well as Long Hill (Garais Kalns), which most probably was a hiding place for south Estonian tribes. On the way to Valka you can also visit a memorial room of a writer Velga Krile in the house where she lived – “Strautiņi”. Our excursion, the same as a story, has a beginning and the end – it ends in Valka, which was the beginning of our trip and now it is also it final destination.