Location
State: Latvia
Region: Riga
County: Aloja
Parish: Staicele
Other references to the location
On the left bank of the Īģe River, about a kilometer from the Īģe mouth into the Salaca river, between the Graudiņi summer house, which is closer to the Cave, and the abandoned Īģe Mill. The Devil’s Cave is well accessible from the highway side (about 100 m along the field edge and then about 50 m through the riverline forest).
Coordinates
lat=57.8958333333, lon=24.8772222222
57° 53′ 44″ N, 24° 52′ 37″ E
Description
The Īģe (Graudiņi) Devil’s Cave appeared in relief in various descriptions and publications only around 1990s, when it was localized and landmarked.
Narrative
Halfway from Mazsalaca to Staicele, the highway crosses the Īģe River. About a kilometer further, the Īģe River joins into the Salaca River, flowing mainly along the red sandstone river banks, in which the water has eroded several caves. The largest of the caves is called Graudiņu Velnala (the Graudiņu Devil’s Cave), because it is located right at the Graudiņi homestead. The people have preserved the following tale about this Devil’s Cave: the Devil had chosen the biggest cave on the Īģe River banks at the Graudiņi homestead as his dwelling place. They say the Devil was very thirsty and, to insure sufficient water supply, he obstructed the Īģe river downwards the Cave. At night, the water had raised and deluged the Cave. The Devil was scared, took his heels and never came back. The water washed away the obstruction; only during the flood it reaches the bottom of the cave. On the banks of the Īģe river, at its lower part, there are many picturesque sites. V-ers 1929: 2.
Attraction
Attractive
Availability
The Devil’s Cave is easily accessible from the highway side (about 100 m along the field edge and then about 50 m through the riverline forest).
Infrastructure, management, facilities
None
Local info
None
Capacity
0 – 9
Publicity
Unknown
Legal Status
Private
Comments
On the other side of the Īģe river, in Skaņkalne area, there is the Rūjupe homestead, where the tale about the Devil’s Road was recorded. It is possible that both sites are mythologically related.
