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Retkeilijän Repovesi

Retkeilijän Repovesi

Repovesi is very different from all other national parks in Finland in that the land in the area is not solely owned by the state. The Lapinsalmi area up to Kuutinkanava and the northern parts are a nature reserve in the Aarnikotka forest and still belong to UPM, while the Löppösen cave area in the centre of the park is on land owned by the local gas company Woikoski Oy. The Defence Forces are also one of the hosts in the area. The eastern boundary of the park is the Pahkajärvi training area, where movement is strictly forbidden. Lake Pahkajärvi was established in the 1950s, while the adjacent Lake Vekaranjärvi garrison was established just over 10 years later.

However, hikers need not worry about the land ownership of the area (except for the no-go zone of the Defence Forces, which is marked with military precision in blue and white paintings on the trees along the eastern boundary of the park). The trails and services in the area are maintained by Metsähallitus, and the rules are very typical of any other national park. The trails are marked with orange dots, fires may only be built at the marked fireplaces, and each campfire site has a pile of birch logs in addition to a blanket.

Repovesi is a great place for a beginner hiker, or if time is short to go further north, or if you want to test your equipment and fitness before a longer hike. There are three entrances to the park, the most popular of which is definitely Lapinsalmi. There are also trails from Saarijärvi in the north and Tervajärvi in the south. It is good to be aware of this when you are already typing letters into your car's navigation system.

The Repovesi trails can easily be made into circular routes of varying lengths and levels. The shortest and most popular is the five-kilometre Ketunlenkki, which starts in Lapinsalmi, while the Kaakkur Circuit is the longest and circumnavigates all the most popular spots in the Repovesi. If you want some privacy, head for the northern or eastern parts of the park. Another good option is to take the fresh Mäntyharju-Repovesi trail, which offers around 30 kilometres of hiking.

When planning the route, it is worth bearing in mind the wide variations in altitude in Repovesi. There are plenty of camping sites in the area, and there are camping sites in Olhava and Kirnukanmaa. One of the park's special features is its good service structure. If camping as mosquito bait does not appeal to you, there are several options of different levels within the park. Along the paths in the park you can find a Metsähallitus rental house and various accommodation options offered by the entrepreneur.

The charm of Repovesi lies in its magnificent scenery and strong history. Clean, clear waters brighten the green forest landscape and the imposing rock faces rise skywards.

As for fauna, Repovesi has the basic species of the northern coniferous forest zone. Moose, woodland birds, wood rabbits, ravens and lynx are typical inhabitants of Repovesi. Bear tracks can also be seen in the spring on the outskirts of the area. The most famous bird is the cuckoo, for which it is advisable to avoid any movement along the banks of the small ponds, especially in spring and early summer. The beautiful song of the caccus can be heard from the Olhava pond early in the summer morning when staying overnight in a lodge.

Basic facts

Repovesi National Park (State), area: 15.7 square kilometres (1576.08 ha)
Aarnikotka Forest Nature Reserve (UPM), area:13.7 square kilometres (1396.21 ha)
Restricted area:the reserve area of the Lake Pahka shooting range covers about half the area of the park. The boundary of the area is marked on the terrain by blue and white markers.
Established:2003
Management: Metsähallitus
Most popular destinations.

Facts in more detail: theRepovesi River Visitor Surveys