-
ullak580
Looking for a place to see the best of Finnish nature? Repovesi National Park is one of the best places for this. It is just about 200km from the capital and the scenery is almost like from Kuusamo, the quite northern part of Finland. In the park the trails are well marked and you can buy the map of the area from the gas stations around the area (for example Valkeala ABC). The trails are mostly just paths, but some parts can go along a dirt road. The altitudes are changing, so you need to keep a moderate speed. There are well kept fire places/ resting areas and couple of places where there is easy to put a tent. The sceneries are beautiful, the waters are clean, you can swim, you can paddle, you can come to a boat trip or come with a boat, walk some and call for a taxi boat to get you back to your place of beginning the trip.The hiking routes vary in length, so with children you can just come from a car park about 1,2 km and have a picnic and swim and go back, or then you can go 5 km route or then even routes from one to two or three nights. All the trash you bring has to be taken by you back, there are no trash containers. Wells are there to drink, they are marked into the map just like the places to lit a fire or put up a tent. Toilets you can find in almost every resting place, bring your own toilet paper.For rock climbers there is almost the best place in Finland to practice, about 30 meters of cliffs, some of the routes are above the water (there is a little rowing boat to be used for landing or securing). This place is called Olhava. There is a place for camping just underneath the cliffs.So, just go and enjoy the awesome silence, nature and clean air/water that this place is offering. :)
-
JariJK
The best place to start visiting Repovesi National Park is Lapinsalmi (navigator address Riippusillantie 55). Other ports and parking places are Tervajärvi (navigator address Kivisilmäntie 720) and Saarijärvi (navigator address Kuismantie 990).For short visits I recommend Ketunlenkki Circle Trail (5 kilometers, starting from Lapinsalmi) which goes through the main sights: the suspension bridge of Lapinsalmi, Katajavuori mountain and Fox Ferry (manual operated ferry). This is a 3-5-hours-hike. There are camp-fires and dry toilets (take your own toilet papers with you) on the route. If this is too long route for you, you can walk from the parking place to the suspension bridge (0.6 kilometers) and back.Other good trails are Kaakkurinkierros Circle Trail (24 kilometers, 1-4 days) and Korpinkierros Circle Trail (4.5 kilometers, a 3-5-hours-hike).There are also rental huts, lean-to shelters, cooking shelters and rental cabins in the national park. You can visit the national park individually or with the help of the services provided by local nature tourism enterprises.There are also nice routes for canoeing in the national park. You can also take part in Kultareitti (Golden Route) cruises.
-
NAsokan
We took the Fox path: about 3 hours at a slow pace including a break for rotating sausages and a quick swim. The highlight was the "wire-guided ferry" that had to be operated manually.
-
jaska1
One of the largest wilderness area in the southern Finland.Easy to reach even by train. Great sceneries and very big variety of hiking routes.
-
JaniK569
Went hiking with children of 9 and 6 years. Entered from Terväjärvi entrance that can be a bit difficult to find if you are not familiar with the area. For newcomers Lapinsalmi is easier to get to. On first day we walked 5km in 2 hours via Lojukoski to Kirnukangas and set up a tent there.There is a small open sided shelter (laavu), fireplace and toilet at Kirnukangas. You can even wash yourself in the small pond nearby if you don´t mind the cold water.After a good nights sleep we continued towards Mustalamminvuori hill. On top of the hill there is a wooden tower from which there is a great view to the park area.From Mustalamminvuori we continued to Kuutinlahti and cooked some lunch there before walking back to Tervajärvi. On this second day we hiked some 7km.Paths were good and well marked but it helps to have some sort of map with you. All in all a Great place and well worth spending a day or two!
