Valmiera is the biggest town in northern Latvia, a river city of nearly twenty-seven thousand people on the Gauja, and it feels like a place with its own life rather than a waystation. Its history goes back to the thirteenth century, when the Livonian Order, the German crusading knights who controlled much of the Baltic, built a castle here, and the ruins still stand on a hill above the river. The Church of St Simon, a tall Gothic building with a brick tower, is one of the oldest in Latvia, and its bells ring across the town. The town was heavily damaged in the Second World War, and much of the centre has a plain look, but it has been rebuilt with parks, riverside paths and a lively market.
The modern town is known for industry and education. Valmiera makes glass fibre, and the factory is one of the biggest employers, and a university college adds a young population. Local beer is a point of pride, and a brewery in the area offers tastings. The town is also strong in sport, with basketball a particular passion, and the arena is a social centre on match days. Parks and a stretch of the Gauja with sandstone cliffs, a short walk from the centre, offer a quiet place to relax.
For a rider, Valmiera is a good base for exploring the Gauja National Park, which begins a short way south. The roads here are generally good, with smooth surfaces, gentle bends and light traffic, and the scenery is a pleasant mix of forest, river valley and farmland. Elk and deer are a risk at dusk, and in winter the roads can be icy, with snow from November to March. Summer evenings are long and warm, and the riding in June and July is a delight, with light until late.
The town has everything you need. Fuel stations, supermarkets and restaurants are plentiful, with Latvian dishes such as grey peas with bacon, rye bread soup and smoked fish on offer, and cafes along the main street. Hotels and guesthouses are easy to find, and prices are lower than in Riga. Strenči, about eighteen kilometres to the north-east, is a smaller town on the road to Estonia.
Take a walk by the river in the evening, when the light is soft and the town is quiet.