Latgale, in eastern Latvia, holds the country’s most pronounced terrain after the Gauja Valley: a landscape of moraine hills dotted with more than 2,000 lakes, locally nicknamed the land of blue lakes.
Rolling terrain between hills and lakes
From Rēzekne, country lanes and gravel tracks climb over the moraine hills toward Kaunata and Lake Rāzna for about 52 km, with around 620 m of total elevation gain. The terrain alternates short, repeated climbs between the lakes with long rolling stretches through fields and scattered forest.
How to approach the ride
All-terrain gravel tires around 40-45mm handle most of the tracks well, though some dirt sections can turn muddy after heavy rain. The elevation gain, spread across many short climbs, calls for steady endurance more than short bursts of power.
When to go
May to September, with summer offering the best conditions to enjoy the many viewpoints over Lake Rāzna. Autumn, quieter, shows off the color of the deciduous forest lining the hills.
Good to know
The villages around Rēzekne carry on a centuries-old pottery tradition, with several workshops open to visitors along the route. Rāzna National Park, protecting the lake of the same name, has several swimming spots reachable from the loop’s tracks.