River Irbe
River Irbe begins in the junction of Rivers Rinda and Stende. It offers unique in Latvia boating experience — the river takes bends along old sand-dunes, which is an extraordinary landscape. However, sand-dunes are not the first thing you will see as they are about 5 km from the beginning of the river. When Rivers Stende and Rinda meet, water of the river is clayey for several kilometres.
We suggest you to start your ride in River Rinda from village Rinda as it is easier to access the river here. There are 3 recreational places on the banks of River Irbe. One of them is next to its mouth to the river.
www.daba.gov.lv
Irbe river is one of the most popular river for canoeing in Latvia.
When starting the route in Rinda village, the first 5 km are the lower of the Rinda river - a good flow, black alder avenues and tunnels, sudden and often curves. After the junction with the Stende River it becomes the Irbe. It becomes wider. The shores become higher but the black alders still grow along the water braiding their branches. The Irbe river has no spiteful wish to make fast and loop curves. It flows much loftier. Shrubs and meadows are replaced by the pine forest.
After 4.1km flow the bases of the Lāži bridge and the remaining constructions show up. This is a good landmark, if you want to go to the International radio astronomy center. Climb on the left shore and go 500m along the forest. When reaching the crossroads you will see the giant radio telescope over the trees turned to the silent universe.
Behind the Lāži bridge the Irbe river flow becomes parallel to the sea. In general, the next 20 km are quite the same. The right shore is more swampy and lower but on the outsides of the left shore curves there are beautiful sand hills. Small islands show up occasionally. The flow is steady but not slow. There is a big island overgrown by trees laying 25km from the beginning of the Irbe river. The sand hill stretch ends here. There are 3.3km left to the Lielirbe - Ventspils - Kolka highway bridge. Many paddlers end their trip at the Lielirbe bridge but it is a very silly thing to do! It would be the same as to go to Sigulda and fill the fuel just for a half way. You must oar to the sea!
The last 5.8km stretch to the sea is with a slow flow. The river is wide and mostly shallow - there are rare places with a depth “over the head”. The shores are low and swampy. Some houses appear occasionally. There is a wire rope bridge at half-way to the sea, above the bases of the former bridge of the narrow gauge railroad. It is a good place for taking pictures of your group from the above. There is a wide State forest resting area on the right shore where the Irbe river flows into the sea. It is a good place for car parking. Here the most active paddlers get in the sea kayaks to continue the trip along the sea coast to Mazirbe (11km) or Kolka (30km).
Along the river there are landmarks created - numbers from 00 - 6 painted on the trees with bright colours helping to see the passed and remaining distance and to plan an evacuation if necessary.
www.riverways.eu
