Pededze

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In an early morning hour you are sitting on a shore of Pededze river with a cup of coffee in your hands smiling and watching the sun rays playing in the dewdrops caught by the spider worsteds. Everything you see around you is incredibly beautiful. That is how the Pededze river could be briefly described in its stretch within borders of Latvia (A) - Alūksne river mouth.

At the beginning of the route that is a border crossing of Estonia - Russia - Latvia (A) the river is shallow and fast. It fights with the mischiefs left by beavers. However, there are no impassable obstructions because the river brings thick ice pieces during spring and wipes all the obstructions in its way. The local road bridges follow one after another and after 13.4 km there is the junction of the Pededze and Virgulica rivers with the Silenieki mill. The river becomes wider but it does not get slower. After 10 km it comes upon a huge tree obstruction formed at the remains of the V401 old bridge. At least 100 m3 of logs have been piled up right in the riverbed (Data 2015). The biggest inclination and the most active stretch ends at the ruins of Mālupe water mill and bridge (D).

Behind the Mālupe river (D) the fast flow of the Piededze river calms down and the inclination to the road bridge of Gulbene-Rēzekne (H) is 30 cm per km on average. The flow becomes meandered. The river is full of bayous and distributaries. A beautiful and woody stretch begins 5 km before Jaunannas (E). The Jaunannas dike can be passed along the left shore.

Behind the Jaunannas (E) the Pededze river is not that snaky and the next stretch to Litene (G) is the most popular one day paddling route of the Pededze river. The stable flow, the lack of sudden curves and the beautiful landscapes let you paddle without hurry. And there it is - Litene (G).

The stretch Litene - (G) – Gulbene–Rēzekne road (H) is considered one of the most beautiful river stretches in Latvia. Much praised oak stands, meadows of the sand beach curves, meadows and even a small part of pine forest starts here. However, there is a slow flow speed. You must be ready to face obstructions brought by flood and 2 m high shores which makes it hard to pass in this stretch.  A small sharp axe or saw will be helpful.

However, from opinion of a real adventurer, the last Pededze river stretch from the Gulbene-Rēzekne road bridge (H) to the beginning of the Jaunpededze channel (J) is considered the most exciting. It is recommended to finish the trip before the beginning (J) of the Jaunpededze channel. There is a good car parking place at the old wire rope bridge.