Discover Lielirbe: Irbe Bridge, nature trail and Livonian history

Nature trails across the Irbe

If you would like to combine nature experiences and regional history on your trip, Lielirbe offers an unusually specific starting point: A bridge crosses the Irbe and forms part of the Jūrtaka long-distance hiking trail. The bridge is 112 metres long and 1.2 metres wide. It is open for use and can be used safely by pedestrians and cyclists; at the same time, no more than eight people may be on it at once.

Cyclists can also use the bridge on the international EuroVelo 13 and EuroVelo 10 cycling routes. The restored bridge also enables pedestrians and cyclists to use the historic nature trail “Līvzemes Mazbānīša taka”. For active days in Lielirbe, this means that a long-distance hiking trail, international cycling routes and a historic nature trail can all be distinguished by the same local feature. Near Lielirbe, the Jūrtaka section passes a seasonal nature reserve at the mouth of the Irbe; staying there is prohibited from 1 April to 1 August. Those who choose this destination will therefore find not just a single structure here, but several documented links to hiking and cycling routes as well as protected landscapes.

A place with visible Livonian history

The history of the area goes back a long way and also tells of a vanished settlement. The first school in Lielirbe opened in 1872 as an Orthodox primary school and remained in operation until the First World War. In the 1920s and 1930s, Lielirbe was the only coastal village of the Livonians with a Livonian majority. In 1939, the area had around 70 houses and approximately 300 inhabitants. Lielirbe was also one of the largest villages to disappear after the Second World War.

You can hike or cycle along the Irbe and then explore the development of a place that once had a considerably larger population and a distinctive Livonian character. The name Lielirbe was first recorded in 1387 in an arbitration document as “Irvemünde”.

Prayer house, harbour and archaeological traces

An interactive computer in Lielirbe’s prayer house informs visitors about its history and its significance for the spiritual life of the region.

The maritime past is also documented in several ways. A map from the second half of the 17th century shows a harbour in Lielirbe. In the late 19th century, the small harbour was an active centre for the timber trade and the transport of timber. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, more sailing ships were launched in Lielirbe than in any other village along the coast of Courland. Several burial mounds classified as archaeological monuments complete this historical picture.

Lielirbe is therefore particularly interesting for choosing between nature trails and cultural history if you would like to combine tangible traces at the site with an active stay. Other destinations you can include in your planning are Dzirnavas, Pasiekste, Užava, Vendzavas, Ventspils, Akmeņdziras, Liepene and Usma.

Back to the main travel overview: Ventspils.