Location
State: Latvia
Region: Riga
County: Kandavas
Parish: Matkules
Other references to the location
It is situated in the Imula River closer to the right bank of the Imula River, in straight line about 200 – 300 m upwards the Imula Bridge.
Coordinates
lat=57.0102116667, lon=22.6174444444
57° 0′ 36″ N, 22° 37′ 2″ E
Description
On the surface of the Lanksēde Devil’s Foot (1.6 x 1.4 x 0.8 m), one can notice a cavity resembling a human foot (0.28 x 0.15 x 0.01 m). The stone, the foot and some other places of the surroundings are related to tales about the Devil. The location of the Lanksēde Devil’s Foot Stone in the middle of the river is not typical for foot stones, to which this stone is attributed. As the Imula River’s banks are high at this place, the vale is narrow and the river often changes its bed, it is possible that the stone with the foot mark used to be on the bank of the river, but in the course of time it fell into the Imula river. Right there not far from the Lanksēde Mill’s neighbour homestead of Arāji, a burial ground was established, but a few kilometres further the Ķempji Piltiņkalns Hill is located.
Narrative
“In older times the Devil walked the earth by leaps and bounds, where he put his step, there the footprint remained. From this place the Devil climbed over the Abava, then further on to Vecsudmaļi “Devil’s Foot” (located 10 km in air line) and Mežita “Devil’s Foot”. The Lanksēde Mill is called the Devil’s Mill, it is very old.” (From the material of the Monument Board. Anonymous author. 1920 –1930)
Attraction
Unattractive
Availability
Access hindered, because it is located quite far from the road and the paths in the middle of the river.
Infrastructure, management, facilities
None
Local info
None
Capacity
0 – 9
Publicity
Unknown
Legal Status
Private
Comments
The Lanksēde Devil’s Foot is marked in the general information maps of the Kandava County, but on site by the Imula River’s Bridge, from which one should start his walk to the stone, there is only a general map of the Kandava County with the marked stone, but you cannot find the stone following that map. By the Imula Bridge, there is a paid camping place arranged and a parking lot. Along the Imula, there are several quadracycle paths driven in, but their goal was not the Devil’s Foot Stone. To the stone along the overgrowth of the Imula River, there is no path. Nearby is the vale’s steep slope, along the edge of which a well-trodden path leads, but it is far from the Imula and the Devil’s Stone; at its edge there are no signs about the stone. At the time of the visit, after the long lasting heavy showers, the waters of the Imula River were very high and the stream was almost getting over the Devil’s Foot Stone. Due to the stream, I could not reach the stone. The Lanksēde Devil’s Foot is an archaeological monument of local importance No. 2312.
