South Savo Map

A Sauna in Linnansaari National Park (Linnansaaren kansallispuistossa). Next to the water so you can swim. Each sauna shift is for 1 hour. It is located in Sammakkoniemi camping area so you can also pay to camp in a tent (12€ a night) on the island. You can also book a hut or kayak from www.oravivillage.com)

The hut / cooking shelter / beach can be used by anyone. But the sauna is reserved only for Savonlinna associations.

If you want to book a 1 hour private sauna here it is 60€ / h: https://rentle.store/harjunportti/shop?category=uG7hCapxmguJu3FPk0uy

This area has been built and maintained by the Kerma-Sappu-Pölläkkä village association. You can use a sauna, barbecue shed, toilet, tent pitches and caravan/car pitches and a boat launch and guest boat dock. Kerma-Sappu-Pölläkkä village association 1 June 2021

Juppitupa is an enclosed campfire hut on the Kievarinkierros hiking trail & Varpalan ski trail.

Rapakon laavu

There is a hut you can rent between the ice walking route from Oravi and Linnansaari.

Kangasvuokko Whisper Trail is about 7.1 km of marked loop hiking through the Kotkatharju outdoor area in Joroinen, South Savo, beside Highway 5. Metsähallitus lists related connecting routes and map context for Kangasvuokon kuiskaus on Luontoon.fi(1). The City of Joroinen describes Kotkatharju as a year-round recreation hub with trails, disc golf, golf, ski jumps, a museum, restaurant, and Bomila Resort accommodation(2). Retkipaikka’s summer 2025 walk-through by Luontopolkumies Mika Markkanen adds the on-the-ground picture: counter-clockwise is the smoother way to read the orange kangasvuokko waymarks where the route briefly shares space with Kotkanpolku, frisbee fairways, and Kartano Golf links before climbing to the Likolammi ridge woods(3). Most people stage the walk from Kanavan parkkipaikka or the wide parking at Kotkatharjun parkkipaikka. Right at the Kanava end you pass Kotkanmaja, which the municipality hires for events, and very soon Kotkatharjun laavu with a campfire terrace beside Kanavajoki; stay alert for frisbee players where the footpath threads course fairways along the river(3). After about 1.7 km you skirt Karhulahden kotiseutumuseo, a local heritage house in 1920s style(2). The middle kilometres climb through younger forest onto Likolamminharju, where the blog notes richer heath and leaf trees than a typical dry pine ridge, plus benches near viewpoints(3). That plateau is the scenic payoff before the loop drops back toward roads, crosses Kerisalontie, and re-enters the busy recreation area. Near the closing kilometres you pass Bomila Resort’s forest cabins and services, then Kanavan ampumarata as you return toward the Kanava trailhead cluster(2). The route shares trailheads and short overlaps with Kotkanpolku, the longer green-marked lake-and-ridge loop in the same area, with Kanavan latu offering a shorter summer path network link, and with Kangasvuokon kuiskaus 2,8 km as a compact inner option on shared waymarking(3). Retkipaikka describes a separate blue-marked Saimaan reitti branch toward the harbour at a signed junction; treat it as a different itinerary if you follow those symbols(3). Expect moderate ups and downs on forest paths and short gravel links, with a few steeper pulls on the ridge leg(3). Joroinen is the municipality; Etelä-Savo is the lakeland region east of the Finnish heartland.

Tuohisaari GeoTour is about 8.4 km of easy hiking on Tuohisaari island in Lake Pihlajavesi, in the Savonlinna area. Visit Savonlinna publishes the route as a geological themed walk around Aluslammi, with display boards and numbered stop ideas tied to Finnish bedrock stories(1). The same guide explains how the island pairs some of Europe’s oldest crystalline rocks with younger formations, and how today’s low Saimaa shorelines are fragments of ancient mountain belts raised by Palaeoproterozoic collisions(1). For ferry times and winter ice-road notes for reaching the island, check Tuohisaaren lautta’s schedule pages(2). Wider accommodation and event ideas for the Savonlinna lakeland appear on the regional tourism homepage in English(3). The trail is a loop on our map. The published itinerary starts at the information board near the Rapakiventie–Tuohisaarentie junction, follows local roads and forest tracks past a long sequence of named rock and landscape stops, and uses Karhupolku as a link toward add-on segments beside Valkiajärvi and the Kaakkolampi circuit(1). Treat the GeoTour text as a self-guided geology walk: the route description encourages clicking each photo’s info icon for stop-by-stop geology(1). Terrain is mostly forest roads and woodland floor with modest height change; the published profile lists only a few tens of metres of ascent for the full loop(1). Wildlife is part of the island’s character. Visit Savonlinna notes that moose occur occasionally and bears are seen regularly, especially in the wilder northern ground near Kaakkolampi(1). Give large mammals space, keep food stored cleanly, and favour calm behaviour in forest(1). Savonlinna is a lakeside city with a long sailing and island culture; South Savo is the surrounding region of forests and Saimaa arms.

Timon's Trail is about 2.8 km point-to-point through forest in Savonranta, part of the City of Savonlinna in South Savo, on the shores of Lake Saimaa. Savonlinna sits in eastern Lakeland and is known for Saimaa’s winding shoreline. Metsähallitus lists route facts and updates for hikers on the Timon taival page on Luontoon.fi(1). The line is an easy way to connect the Timon Taival parkkipaikka trailhead with the mill end at Säimenen myllymuseo parkkipaikka while passing Eräkämmen laavu roughly midway. From Timon Taival parkkipaikka the path rolls through mixed woodland toward Eräkämmen laavu, a lean-to that works well for a fire or a longer picnic stop. Dry toilets sit with the shelter area, so you can plan a relaxed break without packing everything back to the car. Continuing toward the Säimenen end, you reach Säimenen myllymuseo parkkipaikka beside the Säimenen Mill Museum grounds. South Savo Museums describes a nature trail with a lean-to near the museum campus; summer visitors can tour the mill buildings and open-air exhibits on scheduled July opening days with free admission(2). Visit Savonlinna presents the mill’s Savonranta story, the 1937 mill house and older milling history on the site, and practical coordinates for finding the destination(3). The same trail network ties into longer hikes for anyone wanting more kilometres. Haapavuoren voipolku shares parking and the Eräkämmen laavu waypoint, Kangasjärven metsätien polku crosses the northern sector, and Niemen kierto finishes near the mill parking—handy if you want to stitch loops for a half-day outing. For wider trail ideas and seasonal tips around Lake Saimaa, the regional tourism pages(3) complement the national portal. The City of Savonlinna’s sports and outdoor staff publish general recreation contacts for residents and visitors(4).

Raikuu Salpa Line fortification trail is about 1.7 km on the west bank of Raikuu Canal in Pistala, in the Savonlinna municipality area north of old Kerimäki. The Salpa Line was one of the largest construction efforts of its era; this short restored path is built to introduce the bunker line’s story on the ground(1). For the full route description, difficulty notes, and safety bulletin, Visit Savonlinna publishes a partner route listing you should read before a visit(4). The circuit is marked for visitors and passes six information points alongside three reinforced concrete bunkers (63, 64, and 65), anti-tank stone obstacles in two designs, earthworks, and stretches at the lake shore where a high stone wall ramps toward the water—a layout visitors often highlight as unusual on the Salpa Line(3)(4). The first two bunkers have motion-triggered lights that stay on about fifteen minutes; interiors are low, with steep access stairs, worn concrete edges, and possible water on the floor when the canal is high(3)(4). Take care on wet days because treads and duckboards in the bunkers can be slippery(4). The Finnish Heritage Agency(2) summarises how the canal narrows between Puruvesi and Orivesi and why the banks were fortified in phases: older works from the late 1700s and First World War layers later tied into the 1940–1941 Salpa burst aimed at Finland’s eastern border defence. The fortifications are protected as Second World War memorial fabric—stay on the marked trail and skip crossing into separately posted private parcels beside the route(4). Retkipoluilla’s 2018 visit write-up underlines that signage was refreshed around 2015 and that season and water levels can still block entry to one bunker while another stays fully explorable(3). Savonlinna is the natural base for combining this stop with canal scenery at the bridge and nearby lake views(1).

The Jäniksenpolku family trail is an easy loop of about 3 km through forest in the Mannila area on the Punkaharju side of Savonlinna. The circuit starts from Jäniksen parkkipaikka and angles through quiet woodland before passing Mannilan Ratsutallin kenttä, the outdoor riding arena at Mannilan Ratsutalli, then closes back toward the parking. For ideas on walking in Savonlinna, Punkaharju viewpoints, and Sulosaari town walks, Visit Savonlinna’s walking and hiking section is the clearest regional hub(1). Visit Saimaa also curates family-oriented route ideas around Lake Saimaa’s lakefront towns(2). The City of Savonlinna publishes its two principal marked nature trails, Karhuvuori and Soininmäki, with maps and service details on its nature trail pages—useful if you want a longer outing after this short loop(3). The route is short and mainly level, suited to families with children and anyone who wants a calm forest stroll without committing to Savonlinna’s longer nature circuits. Terrain is typical southern boreal forest track: mostly dirt and fine gravel between trees, with no lean-to, campfire point, or toilet listed on our map for this circuit. Treat the riding-arena stretch as a working stable yard: give horses and lessons space, keep dogs under control, and avoid cutting across the arena fence line. South Savo combines lake views, island scenery, and forested trails; Savonlinna itself is a practical base for day walks between lake cruises and castle visits.

The Three Kaijas Circuit is about 6.5 km as a day hike in Niittylahti near Savonlinna, South Savo. The name follows the local trio of features: Kaijanharju ridge, the Kaijansuo mire, and Iso Kaijanlampi; together the wider patch was chosen as one of Finland’s “100 nature gems” for the centenary(3)(4). For who maintains local trails, services, and contacts, the City of Savonlinna’s Liikunta ja ulkoilu hub is the practical starting point(1). Visit Savonlinna rounds up nature routes, campfire places, and seasonal outdoor ideas for visitors(2). Most walkers park at Kolmen Kaijan kierros - parkkipaikka on Niittylahdentie by Herajärvi; from there it is a short pull up onto Kaijanharju following the marked line toward Kaijansuo. Alternatively you can approach from the small Kaijanlaavu car park off Niittylahdentie via Pöntönharjuntie, roughly a fifteen-minute forest walk to Kaijanlammen laavu on Iso Kaijanlampi(3). Kaijanlammen laavu sits right at the lake with a fireplace; firewood and a dry toilet are stocked for visitors, and the shelter is kept comfortable with rag rugs(4). Simple jetties invite a dip on calm days before you climb onto the clear-cut margin and ridge trail marked with blue paint on posts(3). Kaijanharju gives easy, dry walking with lakes on both sides: Iso Kaijanlampi and Iso-Korteikko feature in many trip notes, and there is a sturdy bench for a pause(3). Where the path drops toward the mire edge, expect softer, wetter ground: Kaijansuo is a near-natural raised bog without continuous duckboards, so waterproof boots are the sensible choice if you explore the margin(3)(4). Cranberries colour the hummocks into late autumn in quieter corners writers love(4). About 4.5 km along, the route meets the same junction used by Kievarin kierros latu and Kievarin kierroksen kävelyreitti; the last kilometre returns on a firm, wide forest road with kilometre posts tied to the long Kievarin kierros line from central Savonlinna(3). You finish back at Herajärven uimalaituri on the city swimming jetty at Niittylahdentie 690, a few steps from the main parking. Retkipaikka’s illustrated walk-through adds pacing notes, marker colours, and the reflector metre sidetrack near Kaijanlaavu for after-dark experimenters(3). Suomen Luonto mixes ecology with practicality and captures why local conservation voices promote Kaijansuo’s mosaic of mire types(4). Together those articles complement the municipal pages when you want more trail colour than a listings hub provides(3)(4).

The Kanava ski trail is about 3.4 km of winter-maintained cross-country skiing through the Kanava corner of the Kotkatharju outdoor area in Joroinen, South Savo, a short hop east of the town centre beside Highway 5. Joroinen maintains several municipal trails depending on snow; in the Kanava block they describe one unlit ski track of about three kilometres(1), which matches this line rounded from grooming. You ski past the same multi-use hub visitors know from summer: plastic ski-jump hills from K50 down to K5 as listed by Kotkatharjun ulkoilualue(2), the smaller Joroinen training hills, Kotkatharjun kuntoportaat with about 150 fitness steps, Kanavan frisbeegolfrata, and Kotkatharjun laavu for a break beside the wood. Kanavan parkkipaikka sits along the way for drivers. Kotkanmaja is a small rentable hut in the heart of the area if you are organising a group stop. The route also skirts the Kanavan ampumarata shooting sports centre; treat that facility and its safety rules as separate from casual skiing. The wider area bundles disc golf, golf, museum visits, and trails such as the Yhdyslatu urheilutalo-Kanava ski link toward the sports hall, the Kartanogolf ja Kotkatharjun ulkoilualue bike circuit, the short Kangasvuokon kuiskaus 2,8 km loop, the full Kangasvuokon kuiskaus walk, and Kotkanpolku around Kotkatjärvi—handy if you want to warm up on foot or bike before skiing or combine visits across seasons(2). Luontopolkumies describes finding the main Kotkatharju car park and the area map sign behind the disc-golf buildings when visiting Kotkanpolku from Kotkatlahdentie—useful context for the same parking pocket travellers use for Kanava winter parking(4). For background on why the hill landscape looks the way it does, Maaseutuverkosto publishes a public Leader project summary of renovation at the Kanava ski-jump hill area, older volunteer-built jumps from 1988, and how the zone was intended as a regional winter sports anchor together with the trail network and summer nature loop(3).

Hakin helpompi accessible trail is about 1.5 km of demanding barrier-free hiking on Karjalankallio in Punkaharju, Savonlinna: wide stone-dust surfacing keeps the tread even, while the gentle climbs still earn the vaativa esteetön classification Metsähallitus publishes for this exact line on Luontoon.fi(1). Natural Resources Institute Finland presents Punkaharju Research Park as a year-round, free-to-visit showcase of long-term forest research, and Karjalankallion taukopaikka remains one of its most visited stops among the marked walking networks(4). Visit Savonlinna summarises how the tree-species park paths link toward Karjalankallio viewpoint and lean-to for lake-and-ridge visitors planning a wider Punkaharju day(5). You begin from the Karjalankallio parking cluster beside Karjalankallio laavu, where dry toilets and the firewood lean-to sit a few steps from Lake Puruvesi; counting both Hakin helpompi and the shorter Karjalankallion huilaus ring, visitors often walk a figure eight that returns through this shelter knot(2). Longer Hakinkierros shares the same laavu halfway along its tour of the research forest, and the walking route Puulajipuisto ja Karjalankallion laavu threads the arboretum toward the same rocky viewpoint(4). In winter the Metlan lenkki latu ski trail also meets the Karjalankallio service point, so the lean-to works as a cross-season rest hub(4). Maaseudun Tulevaisuus described the 2022 opening: Metsähallitus surfaced the two new barriers-aware loops with crushed stone, added benches and QR-linked audio for the information boards, and routed them along existing Puulajireitti and Hakinkierros footways instead of cutting brand-new clearings(3). Maaseudun Tulevaisuus also notes that some parties may want an assistant along these vaativa esteettömät sections despite the smooth tread(3). Retkipaikka’s visit underlines how approachable the shelter space feels for mixed-age groups, while still reminding everyone to keep campfires to the maintained fireplace so the open rock by Puruvesi stays undamaged(2).

An ice road on Lake Saimaa. When the ice is strong enough the road opens (Usually in January)

This is a bike route that goes from Puumala to Punkaharju.

Upea rengasreitti kiertää Saimaan Haukiveden ympärillä, joka sijaitsee Linnansaaren kansallispuiston läheisyydessä. Matkasi varrella voit tutustua viehättäviin kyliin, vierailla Varkauden kaupungissa ja nauttia hetkestä Rantasalmella Nature Hotel & Spa Resort Järvisydämessä. Halutessasi voit myös kulkea osan matkasta laivalla.

Pihlajaveden Polkasu Punkaharju on ollut kansainvälisesti arvostettu matkakohde yli kahden vuosisadan ajan. Järvien ja metsien ympäröimä alue tarjoaa upean ympyräreitin, johon sisältyy myös ainutlaatuinen risteily Saimaan järvellä. Reitin mahdollinen lähtöpiste on Punkaharjun kylä, johon on hyvät junayhteydet. Reitti alkaa Punkaharjun matkailualueelta, jossa majoitusvaihtoehdot vaihtelevat aamiaismajoituksesta mökkeihin ja hotelleihin. Harjunportista on myös mahdollista vuokrata polkupyöriä. Matkan varrella voi nauttia virkistävästä uintimahdollisuudesta Saimaan järvessä ja pysähtyä monilla mielenkiintoisilla kohteilla. Reitin kokonaispituus pyöräilyosuudelta on noin 65 kilometriä, ja siihen sisältyy noin 15 kilometrin mittainen rauhallinen laivamatka, jonka aikana voi tarkkailla norppia Saimaan kirkkaissa vesissä.

On the island of Iso-Kankainen

Polttopuita voi hakea kesäisin maksutta luontokeskukselta sen aukioloaikojen puitteissa. Muuten tuodaan omat polttopuut mukana. Luontokeskukselta voi kesällä lainata yksikkökajakkeja ja soutuveneitä. Lainaus 18-vuotta täyttäneille tai 15-vuotta täyttäneille vanhemman kirjallisella luvalla. Laitteet palautetaan viimeistään 10 minuuttia ennen sulkemisaikaa.

Nuotiokatos sijaitsee Rantokankaan ulkoilualueella. Mukaan kannattaa varata omat puut. Nuotiokatosta hoitaa Haukivuoren kisailijat ry.

Paljon korkeuseroja.

Paljon korkeuseroja, kaksi eri layoutia. A 36-hole frisbee course. There are currently two layouts: blue and white. Both layouts follow the Kanalojoki River. Kotkatharju Blue is a more challenging and slightly longer 18-hole layout. Course classification AAA1 . Kotkatharju White is also 18-hole, but the fairways are slightly shorter than the blue course. Course classification AA1 .

Paljon korkeuseroja. Suljettu talvikaudella. This course is next to Kotkanmaja and the ski jumping center. It has 18 holes (AA1). The course follows Kanavan latu (fitness trail in the summer) and contains many elevation changes. There are both easy & narrow fairways.

Paljon korkeuseroja.

Jonkin verran korkeuseroja. Kruunupuiston myyntipalvelusta voi vuokrata frisbeegolfkiekkoja.

Tasainen maasto. Rata on maksullinen.

Tasainen maasto.

Yhteensä 239 porrasta neljässä osiossa, pituus 203 m. Ei talvikunnossapitoa.

80 askelmaa

184 askelmaa, pituus n. 100 m.

150 askelmaa. Ei talvikunnossapitoa.

Jatko-osa rakennettu v. 2022. Askelmia 97/94 kpl, pituus 45/55 m. Ei talvikunnossapitoa.

Ei talvikunnossapitoa.

Iso allas, lasten allas, putousallas ja lämminvesiallas.