Peņķi Health Spring

Description

Peņķi Health Spring is a climbing spring with the water debit of 5 l per second, clear water and high concentration of iron. In the spring there are lime sediments and iron salts. In the point of discharge the spring takes a form of a small pond and then as a brook flows to the Abava River. In the discharge site of the spring there is a small hummock that has been excavated in earlier times. The spring is accessed along a staircase and is frequented by people. The spring has been and is used in health treatment. The locals said that the water in the spring is not particularly tasty and the author would rather agree to it. Nearby in the Abava River there is the legendary stone Abavas Āzis (Abava Buck).

Narrative

At Peņķi there is a hummock and in the middle of it – a spring. When I was at school, they said it was healthy. They said the Swedish soldiers were buried near Peņķi and there in the spring small bones were flowing out. Some white small pieces bubbled there. (Latvian Folklore Repository 1835, 6186. Sc. eksp. Tk .district. 1948. Rec. by A. Ancelāne, dzr. Tk. Irlava, narrated by Katrīne Martmane, 74 years old.)

Location

Koordinātas: 56.86878, 23.00021

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Comments

The directions towards Peņķi Health Spring are provided in several places in Irlava, the path to the spring is well-trodden, marked and mowed. The spring can be reached from two sides: from the Irlava centre and from Irlava Secondary School across the footbridge across the Abava River. Next to the spring there is an information sign and a litter bin. The maps of the Geospatial Agency of Latvia even provide the name of the spring (Peņķu Veselības avots), however, the location of the spring is not marked correctly.

Photo, video

Archive of the “Cult Identity” project