Cape Kolka

At Kolka the gulf and the open sea meet head-on, and on a breezy day you can watch two sets of waves cross over a shallow sandbar that runs far out from the point. It is the heart of the Livonian coast, the shore of the near-vanished Liv people, and it feels like the end of the land.

The landscape

• The meeting of two seas - crossing wave patterns over the offshore sandbar, strongest in wind.
• The memorial to the drowned - a monument by the beach to those lost at sea.
• Driftwood beach - a wide, wild strand piled with bleached wood, backed by pine.
• Liv villages - a string of tiny old fishing settlements along the approach road.

When to go

A windy day makes the colliding seas dramatic; a calm day makes for a gentle beach walk. Autumn brings enormous bird migrations funnelling down the peninsula. Sunset over the water is the classic shot.

Before you go

The point itself is a car park, a path and a beach - the drama is the sea and the sandbar, not built attractions. Swimming is dangerous here because of the currents where the seas meet. It is a long drive for a short stop, so pair it with Slitere and the coast road.

Nearby

Slitere National Park and its lighthouse are just inland; the Liv coastal villages line the road back south toward Roja and Ventspils.

Key facts