Ruokolahti: Church, hiking trails and nature

From Ruokolahti Church and the local history museum to hiking trails and natural attractions in the municipality, the highlights range from architecture and history to forests, water and landscapes. You can decide which aspects best suit your trip by looking at the specific destinations and their different features.

Church, architecture and local history museum

The present-day Ruokolahti Church was completed in 1854 as a wooden cruciform church in a transitional style between Empire and Neo-Gothic. Its design and style are easy to identify: the cross-shaped layout combines elements of two styles. The church offers a concrete point of interest if you are interested in architectural history.

The local history museum at Rasilantie 1 offers a different cultural focus. Spread over three floors, it displays around 3,000 objects. While the church can be explored through its design and stylistic history, the museum centres on its collection. Its size and layout thus offer two different perspectives on culture in Ruokolahti.

Hiking trails and traces of history

The Eukkojen Trail is about 3 km long and lies very close to Ruokolahti’s church hill. Along the trail, visitors can learn about the history of the church area and distinctive geological formations. If you are interested in both, the trail brings these themes together along the route.

For longer hikes in the municipality, there is a dedicated network of two circular trails. These can be combined into a 40 km loop. Compared with the Eukkojen Trail, which is about 3 km long, this is a considerably longer route option; the trails also differ in their focus. The Eukkojen Trail centres on the church area and its history, while the municipal trail network offers the option of linking the two circular routes.

At Syyspohja in the municipality of Ruokolahti, you can see traces of the Salpa Line: completed, unfinished and collapsed fortifications, as well as water-filled foundation pits of bunkers. You can also walk for kilometres along an anti-tank barrier made of large stones. The site’s features include both the different conditions of the fortifications and the long barrier line.

Another hiking destination in the municipality is the cave at Lassila’s Fortress Hill, known as “Linnavuoren kirkko.” Wooden stairs make the climb into the cave easier. Its name, its location on the fortress hill and the stairs are the specific features that distinguish this destination from the trails and fortifications.

Natural attractions in the municipality of Ruokolahti

Haukkavuori rises about 80 metres above Lake Sarajärvi and offers views across the lake and its wooded shores. Alongside the views, vegetation and wildlife shape the area: because of its valuable natural features, the hill is part of the Natura areas of southeastern Finland. Its elevation and lake views offer a different landscape focus from its designation as a protected area.

In the northern part of the municipality, the water at Kemppilän Myllykoski drops about 17 metres over a short stretch; it is Finland’s fifth-highest waterfall. Huuhanranta offers a different feature on Lake Saimaa: its curved sandy beach is 1.5 km long and is one of the lake’s longest beaches. These two destinations therefore highlight the waterfall and its drop on the one hand, and the beach’s shape and length on the other.

At the Lanajoki Nature Reserve, you can observe different natural stages of forest development. The area is also home to old, large black alders, the Lanakoski waterfall, flower meadows, the Lanajoki park area and visible remains of an old mill. Forest development, water, meadows and mill remains give the reserve several distinct features. Together with Haukkavuori, Kemppilän Myllykoski and Huuhanranta, Lanajoki shows how varied the municipality’s natural attractions are.

Discover more destinations: Kosula, Anttola, Leppävirta, Kuhmo, Heinävesi, Oravikoski

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