From the top of Lauhanvuori, a splendid, Lapland-like view opens up to the forests of the vast area, and beyond, up to the sea. The Lauhanvuori Hiking Tour allows you to explore the area’s geological past, traces of the Ice Age, and diversified nature with different waterways, swamps, and forests. The landscapes of the area are characterized by open, dry pine heath forests, lush spruce wood on the top of the hill, and open swamps in the area, which contrast with ponds, springs, and brooks. The specialities of the trail include wide shingle beaches, ancient raised beaches, and the Aumakivi rock.
To the starting point of the trail
The trail has three starting points; in addition, the different legs of the trail can be accessed from other points.
Starting point 1
Lauhansarvi Nature Tourism Centre Lauhanvuorentie 490, Isojoki
(WGS84) N62° 07.486′ E22° 03.347′
On the gable wall of the Lauhansarvi building, there is a map of the national park and the trail. The starting point of the trail is at about 150 metres from Lauhansarvi. It has a small gate: ‘Luontopolku Ahvenlammille’.
(WGS84) N62° 07.499′ E22° 03.512′
Starting point 2
Lake Spitaalijärvi, parking area
(WGS84) N62° 8.34545′ E 22° 9.36848′
No street address; at the crossing of Lauhanvuorentie, there is a signpost to Spitaalijärvi.
Starting point 3
Top of Lauhanvuori / Belvedere Lauhanvuorentie 656, Isojoki
(WGS84) N62° 9.12240′ E 22° 10.45475′
Trail description
The Lauhanvuori Hiking Tour is a 23.2 km-long circle route in the Lauhanvuori National Park and its vicinity, presenting the varied nature of the area in diverse ways. The trail mainly goes through dry heath forests, and the swamps are crossed along duckboards. The trail is marked with green-ended (west side of the park) and blue-ended (south side) wooden poles. In the national park, the trail is marked with mere guideposts at the intersections, but the trail track is easily distinguishable. You can start the Lauhanvuori Hiking Tour from the east end of the Lauhansarvi parking area, in which case the trail goes from the village landscape of Sarviluoma into a heath terrain, passing by commercial forests and fields. Along the route, there are lush groves, stouter spruce forests with brooks, and young pine forests, in the middle of which lies the Huhtakorpi shingle beach. The trail continues past the Ahvenlammi Finnish forest reindeer enclosure to the Kaivolammi pond, where there is also a campsite. From Kaivolammi, the trail continues towards Lauhan Kämppä (a forest hut), after which it climbs into the lush spruce-dominated forest on the top of Lauhanvuori. From the belvedere on the top, you can view the surrounding landscape. The trail goes on descending towards Lake Spitaalijärvi, where you can camp and have a swim. After Lake Spitaalijärvi, an open swamp is crossed on duckboards and you arrive in a shady, spruce-dominated hardwood swamp with springs and brooks. The trail continues in a dry heath forest towards the Kivijata shingle beach, the Aumakivi rock and, partly along a road, through the Sarviluomankylä village to Lauhansarvi, the starting point.
Level of difficulty
To walk the entire Lauhanvuori Hiking Tour requires good physical condition, but you do well with less experience with hiking. If you spend a night on the trail, to walk the entire trail is also possible for those with less hiking experience. The terrain at Lauhavuori and the paths are mainly easy to walk on. The trail is even, with only a few ascents. The signposting is scarce in some places, for which keeping to the right track demands attention in less worn places or lush terrain
Good to know
The trail has a diverse service infrastructure (see the map for more information). The trail has a few benches for resting. There is no specific recommended direction for walking it. You can plan a hike suitable to yourself and choose its starting point accordingly. By Lake Spitaalijärvi, there is a 1 km accessible trail, an accessible dry toilet, and a cooking shelter. Light hiking equipment according to the weather is sufficient. During moist or cold weather, the trail may occasionally be wet, or the duckboards may be slippery. The quality of the spring or well water in the area is not monitored and tested, for which it is advisable to bring along your own drinking water. The places for a campfire are equipped with firewood, but you need to chop it yourself. The toilets have no paper. The Leave No Trace policy is followed in the area, which means everyone takes their own rubbish away. Pets must be kept on a leash. Mobile phones have mainly good coverage in the area.
Environment
The Lauhanvuori Hiking Tour presents the local nature in a diverse way, and it has a markedly wilderness-like atmosphere. The forests, swamps, diverse aquatic nature, and the traces of the Ice Age along the trail show a great deal of variation. Springs, seepages, and spring brooks, together with fern populations, comprise the lushest landscape of Lauhanvuori, which is contrasted by barren, pine-dominated heath forests and open swamps. The key sights of the trail include the special Kivijata shingle (sandstone) beach. Along the trail, there is an area of granite terrain, featuring Aumakivi, the largest granite rock in the area.
Interesting information about the trail
Near Ahvenlammi, there is a 31-hectare enclosure, in which Finnish forest reindeer are raised before they are returned to nature. The path passes a few hundred metres along the enclosure, and so, if you are lucky, you may see forest reindeer. It was previously believed that the water of Lake Spitaalijärvi had curative properties, and it was even taken to the Russian monarchs. By the top of Lauhanvuori, there is a small potato field as a reminiscence of the old practice of growing potatoes on a high slope, beyond the reach of frost. The trail is part of the Lauhanvuori-Hämeenkangas Geopark area, for which the Unesco status will be applied for in 2018.
Download and print the route description and map here!
