- 7 short eco-trails
- Multi-day routes
- On a note
Finland is one of the most environmentally friendly countries in Europe. Here they seriously take care of their nature, and the northern nature of this region itself is surprisingly diverse: there is the polar tundra, and the Baltic coast with skerries, and swamps where waterfowl nest, and forests, and waterfalls, and hills. Once these landscapes were formed by a retreating glacier, which left behind numerous shallow lakes, of which there are thousands in Finland.
7 short eco-trails
There are several dozen nature reserves and protected areas in the country, and hiking is one of the leading directions, which is specially developed and financed. The Finnish legislation specifically stipulates “the human right to nature”.
- The Suurola trail is an ecological trail in the Kangasniemi area on Lake Puulawesi, passing through the forest past a real wood forest temple in the open air: there is a wooden altar with a cross, a pulpit and benches for parishioners, all right in a forest clearing. And the goal of the route is a wooden birdwatching tower overlooking the lake. There is even a bird guide at the top. Everyone can practice and update their knowledge of ornithology. The length of the route is 4 km one way.
- The Kanjonin kurkkaus trail in the Oulanka National Park, the most famous northern park in Finland, is actually one complex with the Karelian Paanajärvi Park. Its symbol is the rare forest calypso orchid. A short circular route through this park of the park leads through the forest in which these orchids grow to the small lake Savilampi, and further to the rocky canyon of the Oulanka River. Approximately in the middle of the route, by the lake, there is a shelter where you can relax and have a snack. The length of the route is 6 km.
- The Kaarniaispolku trail in the Nuuksio National Park, one of the country's southernmost parks, near Helsinki. A visit can be combined with a tour of the newly built Museum Nature Center Haltia. The educational trail for schoolchildren specifically acquaints visitors with 4 landscapes: mossy damp forest, swamp, karst rocks and wastelands. The length of the route is 2, 7 km.
- The Ketunlenkki trail ("Fox trail") in the Ripovechi National Park. The park is located in Finnish Karelia, and its pearl is a beautiful suspension bridge over the gorge, at a height of 10 meters above the water. It is absolutely safe, but despite the railings and metal nets, it is impressive. The length of the route is 4 km.
- Swamp Trail in Valkmus National Park, the smallest park in Finland, which combines two unique landscape types - bogs and tundra. The trail runs right along the swamp gati, and there are observation towers that you can climb to watch water birds - they nest here in abundance. The length of the route is 2.5 km.
- Treriksröset - Stone of Three Borders - is an unusual place in the northernmost region of Finland. This is a concrete stone sign on an artificial island, where the borders of three states converge: Finland, Sweden and Norway. The route starts from Kilpisjärvi, the northernmost point of this region. The length of the route is 11.6 km.
Multi-day routes
In addition to ecological trails in national parks, there are many simple hiking trails in Finland for tourists. They are all perfectly labeled. They have special places for spending the night, shelters - they are called laavu here. As a rule, a laavu is a small wooden house or shed with an equipped place for a fireplace or barbecue, a supply of firewood, and a dry closet. It is forbidden to kindle fires outside these places; it is necessary to use specially prepared firewood, and not brushwood. There are also insulated laavu with stoves - for winter recreation. The use of these places is free, the main thing is to maintain cleanliness and order.
- The Karhunkierros Three Bear Rings is the most popular hiking trail in Finland and has been in use since 1954. Passes through the Oulank National Park in the Lapland province. The route starts from the village of Hautojärvi, passes through the tourist center of the national park - Yuma, and ends at the resort of Ruka. This is the most comfortable trail in Finland: there is no slippery mud, crumbling precipices, fords - there are bridges on all difficult sections, gravel is poured on all clay sections. Part of the route passes through swamps - but also along safe footbridges. The entire path is clearly and vividly marked. Despite the formidable name, there are no bears or dangerous animals in general, except for mosquitoes. The trail takes 3-8 days, depending on the pace. The length of the main route is 80 km. There is a one-day version of it - the Small Bear Ring, it starts from Yuma, only 12 km long. And the third version of the same route is a winter ski route, it is 26 km long.
- Kekkonen route and E-10. Urho Kekkonen is the president who ruled Finland for 4 terms, for a total of 25 years. In fact, it was he who created modern Finland as we know it. In his youth, the president was an athlete, and he kept his hobby for hiking until old age. Finland's longest hiking route, which its president walked in 1957, now bears his name. It starts from the border with Karelia and leads to Lapland - part of it passes along the old trade routes, and part of it passes through the national park named after Kekkonna. This route partially coincides with the trans-European hiking route E-10, which starts in the northernmost city of Finland - Nuorgam, leads to Helsinki across the country, and continues in Germany and reaches Spain.
- The E-6 Trans-European Trail, Aurora Borealis Trail, is another trail that starts from the most "Scandinavian" part of Finland - the one where you can see both real high mountains and real northern lights. This part of the country is often called the "hand of Finland" - it seems to be wedged between Sweden and Norway. From the beginning of this road you can see the peaks of the Scandinavian mountains - Saana and Malla (the second is a nature reserve), and the wide expanse of Lake Kilpisjärvi. From here, separate trails to Saana begin (7 km long, Saana itself is 1029 m high), and the trail to the Stone of Three Frontiers, and the international trail through Norway to the ocean.
On a note
Finland is the most comfortable hiking destination in Europe. All routes are clearly and accurately marked and equipped, almost everywhere, where the landscape of the area allows, you can drive with a wheelchair or wheelchair. It is absolutely safe here, you cannot get lost, there are practically no difficult tracks, the forests are perfectly clean. The entrance to the national parks is free.
But this is not a place for "wild" tourism: fires can be made only in specially designated places, garbage must be taken with you - trash cans are not placed along the roads. There are well-equipped toilets on almost all official routes.
There are rumors that in Finland there are not even mosquitoes at all - but they are not true, there are mosquitoes in the forests, and even ticks come across, although there are really very few cases of their transmission of diseases here. But repellents in any case must be taken.
Despite the well-maintained paths and the abundance of shelters, strong waterproof shoes and raincoats are needed: the climate is still northern and damp. But you can not take a tent out of season, you can almost always spend the night in a laavi. But with the beginning of the tourist season on a popular route, it may turn out that there are no more places in the shelter.
