The Vidzeme Planning Region, in cooperation with local municipalities, has created new tactile solutions and audio guides. The work was carried out as part of the “Access Routes” project. Both the tactile objects and the audio guides are accessible and engaging not only for people with visual impairments, but for every visitor. The new objects can be found at seven popular tourist attractions: Lake Lielezers in Limbaži, Skaņaiskalns Nature Park in Mazsalaca, the Madona Local History and Art Museum and Gulbene Station, Litene Manor, the nuclear missile base in Zeltiņi, and the Bilska Lake nature trail.
The new objects include figures and miniature scale models of places, as well as large-format maps. The objects will help people with low vision or blindness gain a detailed tactile understanding of significant historic buildings, sites, and living creatures, as well as grasp the scale and layout of the places they visit.
At the nuclear missile base in Zeltiņi (Alūksne municipality), a rest area featuring a tactile map with a bench is available at two locations. The map allows visitors to explore the site’s layout – including strategic structures such as shelters, hangars, and other buildings – as well as residential houses and roads.
On the Lake Bilska nature trail (Smiltene municipality), a “Bird Tree” has been created, featuring local winged inhabitants at their natural size along with an audiovisual solution. Visitors can learn about the birds nesting on and around the lake by touching relief images and listening to recordings of bird songs. Scanning a QR code provides further information about Lake Bilska itself.
At Lake Lielezers in Limbaži (Limbaži municipality), visitors can explore an artistically interesting environment object called “The Beaver,” as well as a tactile map of the beach and nature trail. The map helps people with visual impairments understand their location and the positioning of various features in the environment. An audio guide is also available there.
In the Skaņaiskalns Nature Park in Mazsalaca (Valmiera municipality), a relief map of the park has been installed to help visitors explore the surrounding area and its points of interest. New directional signs lead to these points, and an audio guide tells the story of the park and its trails.
At the Madona Local History and Art Museum (Madona municipality), a scale model of the historic grounds of Birži Manor is available, along with an audio guide. Nearby, on Parka Hill – which offers a panoramic view – an informational bench invites travellers to sit down and listen to a story about the surroundings and the town’s history.
Near the Gulbene Station building (Gulbene municipality), facing the town, stands a scale model featuring the station, its auxiliary buildings and railway tracks. An audio guide recounts the story of what was once an important railway junction. Gulbene municipality also has a second tactile object at Litene Manor. It helps visitors discover the manor along with its park and farm buildings, while an audio guide offers more about the manor, its owners, and the twists of its history.
The audio versions in Latvian and English have been narrated by actor Ivo Martinsons.
We invite you to journey through Vidzeme and discover these special attractions!
Photo: VPR and partner municipalities.
