To the waters from Pitkälahti

Juojärvi is one of the clearest and cleanest bodies of water in Finland. There are no less than 833 islands in the lake and the shores have been inhabited since the Stone Age. The lake and its Pitkälahti harbor have always been important recreational and fishing destinations.

The Outokumpu company built a narrow-gauge railway in Pitkälahti in 1918 for the transport of ore and timber. The company supported employees’ leisure time by building boat sheds (156 pcs) in Pitkälahti harbour, which are still in active use.

Pitkälahti harbor currently has no services, but it is an interesting excursion destination. You can launch a boat, canoe or kayak and head to the opposite shore to the Valamo monastery, which is approx. 17 km away.

Juojärvi is one of the clearest and cleanest bodies of water in Finland. There are no less than 833 islands in the lake and the shores have been inhabited since the Stone Age. The lake and its Pitkälahti harbor have always been important recreational and fishing destinations.

The Outokumpu company built a narrow-gauge railway in Pitkälahti in 1918 for the transport of ore and timber. The company supported employees’ leisure time by building boat sheds (156 pcs) in Pitkälahti harbour, which are still in active use.

Pitkälahti harbor currently has no services, but it is an interesting excursion destination. You can launch a boat, canoe or kayak and head to the opposite shore to the Valamo monastery, which is approx. 17 km away.

Birds flock to Sysmäjärvi

Sysmäjärvi is a lush and very shallow bird lake and nature reserve approx. 10 km from the center of Outokumpu. Its area is 6.6 square kilometers and the average depth is only 74 centimeters, the deepest points are 3.6 meters.

There are 30 islands in Sysmäjärvi, three of which are over a hectare in size. Bird species include e.g. peregrine falcon, peregrine falcon, barn owl, collared heron, crane, lapwing tern, liro, grebe, bee hawk, black-throated tern and black tern.

Lake Sysmäjärvi has been renovated in recent years, thus preserving the versatile breeding birds and its importance as a resting area. Sysmäjärvi is part of the national bird water conservation program and it belongs to internationally valuable wetland areas.

Mystical swamp Viurusuo

In North Karelia there are only a few oasis swamps in an almost natural state, the protected Viurusuo is one of them. Small lakes, vegetation and scents create a special atmosphere, and those who have visited the swamp describe the atmosphere at night as unique.

Peat has been excavated from the swamp for the needs of the Outokumpu company’s power station, traces of this have been left on the swamp. Now this area is mostly in its natural state and is no longer harnessed for peat production. An area of about 400 hectares of the marsh is now a nature reserve.

Voluntary group in Outokumpu (Outokumpu Luonnonystävät ry) has made signs for walking on from Itkonsalontie road. You can find the swamp by following the paint and tape marks. Cloudberries and cranberries grow abundantly in the swamp, as nature thanks its protectors.

The naturally beautiful Laitasaari island in Juojärvi

Managed by the city of Outokumpu, the kilometer-long and approximately 200-meter-wide island has campfire sites, a shelter, a beach, two dry toilets and waste points. Laitasaari is a beautiful outdoor area, where you can get to, for example, by canoe, kayak or sup-board if you don’t have a boat in use.

Canoes, kayaks and SUP boards can be rented from www.melontakaverit.com