Location
State: Latvia
Region: Kurzeme
County: Roja
Parish: Roja
Other references to the location
In the woods of Kaltene between Kaltene and Ilmati, far away from highways and homesteads.
Coordinates
lat=57.4708333333, lon=22.85
57° 28′ 14″ N, 22° 51′ 0″ E
Description
A relief formed by glacier with an explicitly dense stone layer, which is the most distinguished such geological formation in Latvia. It was placed under the state protection in Soviet Times (in 1962) in the area of 85.7 ha. In the section of the ancient Littorina’s seacoast from Kaltene to Roja, in the woods, you can see a large stone compressions on the ground surface. They are found in the form of dams and stone layers. Geologists have established that in some places the concentration of stones is 30 to 60 stones per 100 square meters. Stone layers are up to 1 km long, 10–100 m wide and several meters high. The formation of these stone layers took place in circumstances when the ice tongue retreated, its side lane was washed by the waters of the Baltic Ice Lake. In the surroundings one can find not only Velna kalva (the Devil’s Stone Ridges), but also other — Kārduškalva (Kārdūžkalva) Stone Ridges, Pūņu kalva (Pūņi Stone Ridges), Krapsiņkalva Stone Ridges and other smaller stone ridges. According to biologists’ information, in the stone ridges several very rare plants are found, for example, ivy that loves the seaside climate (Hedera helix) and northern cornus suecica (Chamaepericlymenum suecicum), as well as club-moss, pteridophytes plant of polypody, etc.
Narrative
The tales narrate the stone ridges had been brought there by the Devil, not the glacier. Basing on the name and tales, we can evaluate this geological complex as a mythological place. The most popular tale about the Devil’s Stone Ridges narrates that the Devil gathered stones to build a bridge to Sāmsala (Saaremaa). He decided to heap the sea with stones. The Devil put the stones into a large sack, but, as the sack was very heavy, it tore apart and the stones fell out in the direction of the Devil’s run (from SE to NW). There is still no road to Sāmsala (Saaremaa), and the Devil still cannot get to Sāmsala (Saaremaa). Yet at the beginning of the 20th century older people warned their children to behave themselves calmly and quietly at the stones.
Attraction
Excellent
Availability
Quite easily accessible. There are indication signs. Reachable by paths which have been well facilitated at one section of the stone ranges.
Infrastructure, management, facilities
There are indication signs, a small parking lot. Further on well facilitated paths with wooden plank-ways winding between the stone ranges. Once in a while there are small wooden view spots with information stands.
Local info
At the object a stand has been installed “Kaltene Stone Ridges” (“Kaltenes Kalvas”) manufactured fro
Capacity
41 and more
Publicity
Known
Legal Status
State property
