Geoday at Pūsēnu Hill

This year, on 1 November from 12:00 to 16:00, a free family event – Geodiversity Day – will take place at “Katrina Summer House” in Āboli, Nīca, Dienvidkurzeme Municipality. It will be an opportunity for children, parents, and grandparents to explore the stories of the earth and the sea together, observe natural processes, and take part in creative activities.

The event will feature engaging presentations, creative nature workshops, and guided excursions to help participants understand how dunes are formed, what processes occur in the sea, and what the sands and stones can tell us about the past. It will be a wonderful opportunity for families to spend time outdoors and discover the secrets of our coastline.

A special highlight of the programme will be the honouring of Pūsēnu Hill as the Geosite of the Year 2025. This impressive coastal dune has been recognised by the University of Latvia, based on the votes of both geologists and geology enthusiasts.

What to expect at Geodiversity Day:

• Stories about geosites, dune formation, and coastal nature;

• Creative workshops for children and families by the Liepāja Nature House and the Nature Conservation Agency;

• Activities from the Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology about the exploration of the Baltic Sea;

• Excursions along the seashore and to Pūsēnu Hill together with environmental guides and a geologist.

Pūsēnu Hill is the highest coastal dune in Latvia – 37 metres above sea level. It is located in the Bernāti Nature Park, offering wide panoramic views over the sea and coastal forests. This site stands out not only for its striking relief and natural beauty but also for its story of wind, water, and time – the forces that have shaped our coastline over centuries.

The aim of Geodiversity Day is to inspire families to notice the stories of nature around them, encourage curiosity about Latvia’s and Kurzeme’s unique geological formations, and promote their preservation for future generations.

The event is organised by the Kurzeme Planning Region in cooperation with the University of Latvia as part of the project “Geosites – Promoting the Protection of Geological Structures in Latvia and Lithuania”, implemented within the Interreg Latvia–Lithuania Cross-Border Cooperation Programme 2021–2027.

Admission is free.

Families with children, nature lovers, and everyone wishing to spend a day discovering the stories of the earth and sea on the Kurzeme coast are warmly invited!