Daytrips from Suomu
Suomu is within one hour’s drive from many interesting destinations in Eastern Lapland and Kuusamo. Each neighbouring community has great places of interest. Each one differs from the next and is suitable for daytrip destination year around.
Along route E63 there is 42 km to Kemijärvi town with all major services, shops, museums and sports facilities including a swimmingpool and a natural sandy beach in town centre. On route you pass Joutsijärvi village and Mäntyvaara battle memorial.
North from town you can follow the river to Pelkosenniemi, where there is the bridge across the river. West side road is paved and east side there is a dirt road with more wilderness and also a bird observation platform only about 500 m hike from the road with rich bird and animal life in the small river esturary for viewing. I saw in early May 4 moose and many swans and numerous species of waterfowl.
South from town following the west shores of the lake there are art galleries, village industry, summer theatre, campground, large dams and hydropowerstations with some of Finland’s most magnificent riverviews across the Kemijoki Valley, if you continue to Rovaniemi along this less travelled road. This is also a little longer but an interesting alternative route to Ranua, see below.
Posio
Posio is about 100 km south, first along E63 (Finnish highway number 5), but turn right at Maaninkavaara and continue southwest to Posio. The drive takes about an hour through wilderness forests and lakes. You have a choice of roads and can make this into a round trip. Especially on smaller roads, reindeer are often grazing on the verges of roads. Suddenly an extra hour or two has passed, if you stop to photograph each herd.
Korouoma Canyon landscape is exceptionally rugged and grand. The area offers a multitude of possibilities for hiking, nature watching and fishing as well as learning about the culture of the area in context to nature. The central area of the canyon has steep and high walls with boulders and small streams cascading down to the small river winding through the base of the valley. During winter months the biggest icefall in Finland is here and climbers find challenging ice climbing conditions in this area.
Day-trippers must leave their cars at the end of the road linking the canyon to the Posio-Rovaniemi road. There is a small parking area with a good path leading to the campfire place at the base with good views of the icefalls remaining there until late in the spring. The trail is not long but quite steep and will suit best those of normal to good condition. Take along a picnic with a drink and comfortable walking shoes.
Pentik
Pentik is one of the popular Finnish high-street home décor names. The factory and design studios are in Posio village and the pottery factory shop and museums with home themes are an interesting destination with a café. This is ideal when you wish to escape the wilderness and long for a touch of culture and shopping.
On the western shores of the beautiful Lake Kitka lies the Tolva village from where you start your hike to Riisitunturi fell. In Tolva Village, you find Korpihilla café and delicatessen for nature-based products, and the Pot Nova pottery with a shop and workshop. On this trip, you can go on a hike, enjoy coffee and cakes in a manor house style and shop design pottery for family gifts. About 80km south from Suomu.
Kuusamo
Ruka ski resort 80km south along E 63 is in Kuusamo, with the town centre 20 km further along. The road is in good condition and has only little traffic. E63 being the main Eastern Finland Highway you need to be prepared also for the occasional heavier lorry.
Oulanka National Park
The park information centre is only 70 km from Suomu, north of Ruka along the Salla road. Oulanka is a Super hiking destination. The popular Karhunkierros Hiking Trail leads through the National Park. Hikers can get a general picture of the park’s nature and see the national landscape even on day-trips lasting a few hours. For more information check out the web page
www.outdoors.fi/oulankanp
Salla
Drive 15 km north from Suomu along E63 to Joutsijärvi village and turn right towards Salla, which lies 30km east near the Russian border. Salla village has many shops and after a visit there, you drive south towards Kuusamo for 10km to reach the Salla Ski Resort on the left and Poropuisto on the right hand side of the road.
Salla Reindeer Park
The main building has café, souvenir shop, and 130 place auditorium and exhibition rooms. The permanent exhibition with pictures, sounds and showcases, has information on local soil, flora and fauna. They focus on northern topics of old growth forests, co-existence of reindeer and predators.
Ranua
Ranua is a little further from Suomu and the scenery changes entirely during the journey. The vast open wetlands of northern Bothnia stretch for miles along the road. You understand why Ranua has chosen the cloudberry as its image. Cloudberry bogs dominate the landscape. This is a day out for wetland lovers.
Ranua Zoo
Ranua Zoo specializes in northern and arctic fauna in their natural habitat. Suomu Off Piste Adventures arrange daytrips to Ranua.
It is worth remembering the animal are more alert on cooler days, when car trip is also more pleasant. May is of course time for the young animals to be on show.
Pelkosenniemi and Sodankylä
Drive north on E63 for 42 km to Kemijärvi town, after bypassing the town turn right continuing north towards Pelkosenniemi for another 54 km. There about 100 km north from Suomu start the Pyhä Fells and lies the Pyhä-Luosto national park information centre.
Pyhä-Luosto National Park
Pyhä-Luosto National Park core area is the southern most fell ridge in Finland. The area is a conservation area, ski resort, popular hiking destination and important recreation and employment area for the locals. The original Pyhä National Park was established 1938 and Luosto was added to it 2005. More information on
www.luontoon.fi/pyha-luosto
Lampivaara Amethyst Mine
The mine is located on top of Lampivaara fell 5 km from Luosto centre in the middle of Pyhä-Luosto National park and is probably the only jewellery mine in the world that welcomes visitors. It is open for visitors year around. A guide will introduce you to the fascinating world of the Amethyst and get to dig your own lucky Amethyst - which has been waiting for it’s finder for 2000 million years.