Lake Burtnieks, Lake in Valmiera Municipality, Latvia

Lake Burtnieks is a large, shallow lake in northern Latvia, with an average depth of about 9.5 feet (2.9 meters) and a mostly sandy bottom. Its shores are low and sandy, though along the southern coast waves have carved sandstone cliffs, and three small islands lie within its waters.

In ancient times the lake was known as Astijärv or Aster, when Livonian people lived in northern Vidzeme. After the Salaca River was regulated in 1929, the water level dropped by about 3 feet (1 meter), exposing sandbanks that were soon covered by reeds and algae.

The lake appears in the Latvian national epic Lāčplēsis and in many folk tales, and its name is linked to the Livonian word for the area. Today, locals from nearby villages fish here and gather at the shore for summer events.

The lake is best explored by car or bicycle, as the surrounding area is rural and roads are narrow. Access to the shore is possible in several places, but some sections are marshy, so waterproof footwear is useful.

The lake is the source of the Salaca River, which flows 59 miles (95 kilometers) to the Gulf of Riga. On the northern shore, the Zvejnieki archaeological site is one of the most important Stone Age burial grounds in northern Europe.