Innala: Ice Age Landscape and Cultural Heritage

If you are looking for a hotel in Innala, Salussärkkä is the area’s defining landscape feature. Nearby, historic farms, churches, and natural attractions add to the picture of the region. When planning your trip, you can distinguish between the landscape in Innala itself and the different cultural and natural attractions in the surrounding area.

Salussärkkä and the Ice Age landscape

Salussärkkä is an approximately two-kilometre-long esker formation bordered by a lake and formed during the Ice Age. It has been a nature reserve since 1968. It is also known by the nickname “Pikku-Punkaharju,” meaning “little Punkaharju.” Salussärkkä was once a popular excursion destination: members of the estates regularly visited the area to admire it.

Another landscape feature is Rantalansärkkä in Ylä-Kolkki, a few kilometres north of Salussärkkä. Both esker formations belong to the same Ice Age formation and are located near Pohjaslahti, surrounded by water. Rantalansärkkä is classified as a regionally valuable esker area in value class 3 within the Salmentaka-Innala A groundwater area. Thus, both the formations’ shared geological origins and their respective classifications are notable.

Churches, farms, and Heikintupa

The Pohjaslahti Church was designed by Kauno Kallio and completed in 1931. It is also a stop on the Pohjaslahden mobiilireitti, a narrative landscape trail in the village of Pohjaslahti. Its architecture and the trail’s theme offer two different ways to explore the area.

Heikintupa is a farmhouse in Pohjaslahti dating from 1850. The Heikintupa Museum exhibits historic objects and buildings from the surrounding area; the Heikintupa Museum Café is also housed in a farmhouse dating from that year. The combination of a historic building and a regional exhibition theme makes Heikintupa a cultural attraction in its own right in the area around Innala.

The Pohjaslahti-Seura association holds a Midsummer celebration at Heikintupa every year on the Sunday of Midsummer weekend. If you are planning a visit around the celebration, check the specific dates separately. This keeps your plans tied to the actual event date rather than assuming a fixed calendar date.

Vehkaniemen tila also combines a long history as a farm with a clear condition for visiting. The history of the old family farm dates back to around the mid-16th century, or possibly even earlier. The buildings on the farmstead are open to groups by prior booking and arrangement. It is therefore important to arrange your visit in advance; spontaneous access is not guaranteed.

Another stop in the region’s cultural history is Riihikappeli: the former parish granary was restored through volunteer work and inaugurated as Riihikappeli in 2004. Together with Pohjaslahti Church and the Heikintupa farmhouse, this site illustrates the different ways historic buildings in the area are identified today.

Natural attractions and directions

Palellusvuori is a natural attraction of scenic value. Its observation tower was built from 2018 to 2022 and opened to the public on 30 April 2022; it offers expansive views. If you plan to include the tower in your itinerary, check the current visiting conditions beforehand.

The Kangaskoski Mill Museum is located at Kangaskoski in Salmentakanen. A path runs around the mill pond; a wooden bridge also leads from the mill across the rapids to a shelter. If you plan to use the bridge, you can check its condition before your visit. To find the mill, travel about five kilometres from Pohjaslahti towards Salmentakanen; a sign then points to the right. The stated route and signage may change, so follow the local directions.

For the wider travel overview: Mänttä.