ADAMOVA CLIFF TRAIL OPENED

This autumn, delighting the residents of Krāslava and guests of the city, the trail of the nature monument “Adamova Cliff”, located in the specially protected landscape area “Augšdaugava” and the nature park “Daugava Bends”, is officially opened. Several new staircase sections have been built on the trail, and access to the shore has been created for boaters with a pontoon dock installed on the Daugava.

The reconstruction of the Adamova nature trail was implemented by the association “Adamova” within the framework of the Leader approach project “Diversification and Improvement of Nature Tourism Infrastructure, Educational and Recreation Opportunities in the Daugava Bends at the Adamova Cliff”, with funding from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and co-financing from the Krāslava Municipality, in a project competition announced by the association “Krāslava District Partnership”. The project was implemented in the summer of 2023.

The Adamova nature trail with many improvement elements – stairs, small bridges, and viewing platforms – was created in 1998 by students and faculty of Daugavpils University, under the leadership of rector Bruno Jansons. In turn, the nature monument “Adamova Cliff” had not been developed until July 2023, which prevented easy access to this site.

A major role in the implementation of this project was played by Associate Professor Juris Soms of the Daugavpils University Department of Environmental Science and Chemistry. The implementation of the project was possible thanks to Latvian State Forests, Krāslava Municipality, Krāslava Tourism and Information Centre, and the association “Krāslava District Partnership”.

The start and end of the Adamova nature trail is at the Krāslava viewing platform, which is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Krāslava Municipality and is included in the Latvian National List of UNESCO World Heritage. The trail is 1.8 km long, suitable for active walking enthusiasts, as it winds both up and down the hills where stairs are installed. In several places, there are bridges over ravines and streams. By supplementing the Adamova trail with the “Adamova Cliff” section, its total length will be 2 km and it will take an average of 1 hour of a moderate walk.

It is believed that the Adamova Cliff was formed during the catastrophic spring floods of 1931, when the Daugava washed away the bank and created a 20–30 m high outcrop several hundred meters long. The maximum height of the Adamova Cliff reaches 38 m, the slopes are very steep and in some places reach 50–60 degrees.

In the territory of the trail, there is a boulder which, considering its dimensions, could be classified as a giant boulder. It is located at the edge of the Adamova nature trail, at the foot of the main bank. Its height is 1.85 m, length 5.35 m, and width 4 m. The circumference of the stone reaches 11.05 m. We invite trail visitors to find the boulder and take a picture next to it, as well as post the photo on social media with the hashtag #Adamovastaka.