PaddlingLength24.2 km
Duration(14 hours)
Degree of difficultyMedium
The canoeing route Julma-Ölkky-Somer-Hossa treats you to the best parts of the National Park. The canoeing route is a relatively easy, maze-like lake route on which you can experience small rapids, rugged canyon landscapes and pine forests reaching to the skies. You can combine elements of the past to your excursion by visiting Värikallio, the famous rock paintings which go back thousands of years. The best time to use this route is in early summer, but it is also accessible later in summers with plenty of rain. Lake Julma-Ölkky is a canyon lake created in a fissure valley, an ancient crack in the earth, which is over 3 kilometres in length.
Length
24.1 km
Degree of difficulty
Medium
Duration
14 hours
Trail type
-
Contact information
Starting pointJulma-Ölkky pysäköintialue
Julma-Ölkky is a rugged canyon lake of over 3 kilometres in length. You can start your excursion by visiting the Ölkky end, which adds some 6 kilometres to the canoeing distance. In the summertime there is boat transport available for a fee at Ölkky. In low water it is recommended to start the excursion at the Lihapyörre parking area.
From the Julma-Ölkky boat launch place, canoe a couple of kilometres south on Ala-Ölkky. At the branching point of Ala-Ölkky you can find the Ala-Ölkky lean-to shelter.
If you want to go to Värikallio Cliffs, take the right-hand side route and canoe upstream about 500 metres. Beach on the western bank and float the canoe about 500 metres along a channel dug out for this purpose to Lake Somerjärvi. There is a cooking shelter and a marked hiking trail past it to Värikallio Cliffs.
When returning in high water, you can run the fast and narrow rapids from Lake Somerjärvi to Ala-Ölkky. A visit to Värikallio Cliffs adds 2 kilometres to the excursion distance.
From Ala-Ölkky the route continues along the Somerjoki river, which has class I rapids. After some 2 km the river expands to Lihapyörre and before this there is a lean-to shelter with the same name. There is a boat launch on the south side of Lihapyörre. The river section between Lihapyörre and Lake Laukkujärvi is winding and fast during high water. The one-kilometre rapids section is classified I in low water and II in high water. In low water be prepared to float or pull the canoe at the end of the section.
River Somerjoki joins Lake Laukkujärvi. The Laukkujärvi open wilderness hut is on the southern shore of the lake. The water route goes past the wilderness hut and on to Lake Talasjärvi via the Laukkusalmi strait (I). On the north side of the Talassalmi strait there are old meadows and a barn worth seeing.
After the Talassalmi strait you arrive at Lake Puukkojärvi and there is a lean-to shelter and Puukkojärvi open wilderness hut on its eastern shore. Lake Puukkojärvi is followed by the Puukkosalmi strait (trail bridge). After the strait, turn right and you arrive at Suottavirta (I).
There is a boat launch at the south end of Saarihoilua following Suottavirta. At the east end of Saarihoilua is the start of the Louhikoski rapids (I) leading to Hakokoski rapids (I) via Hakolampi Pond. After Hakokoski rapids there is the Hakokoski lean-to shelter. After the lean-to shelter, run the long and narrow Syvä-Hoilua, at the south end of which is the Torkonluikea rapids (I) and a campfire site.
You can stop at the boat launch place on the western shore of Lake Huosiusjärvi or continue and run Huosivirta (I) and onto Nurmiselkä launching site or Papinpetäjä, an isthmus between Lakes Hossanjärvi and Keihäslampi, via Lake Kenttäjärvi and the Mykränsalmi strait. The total distance of this route is 16 km and the estimated excursion time is 14 hours.
End pointKeihäslampi pysäköintialue