Geological nature trail

The trail starts right next to restaurant Mainari. The first part of the trail runs mainly along small paths to the southeast end of lake Raajärvi, from where the path runs along the lake, crossing a few more wet places, to the end of the driving path. Soon after arriving at the driving path, you can see the ruins of an old cottage to the left and the ruins of a sauna built on top of a spring.

The trail continues along the driving path for approximately 300 metres, after which you will arrive at a crossing where the trail turns to the right. At this point, it is also possible to turn to the left to the 3.8-kilometre trail at the crossing. From the crossing, the trail continues approximately 200 metres to the end of a driving path, where the trail separates to the south and towards the first break/campfire place located approximately 500 metres away.

The break place is located in a sheltered hollow with a pond for taking water in the immediate vicinity. From the break place, the trail runs along driving paths to the southeast, and you can either continue along the same driving path to the 8.7-kilometre trail or turn to the right from the driving path along the actual trail to the side of a large minetotrophic bog and then further towards Matovaara.

Before Matovaara, the trail crosses a rather wide ditch at the western end of the westernmost part of Matolampi. On the slope of Matovaara, the trail first goes north of a felling area towards a truly magnificent old forest, which continues almost until the next break/campfire place. This break place is also located in a sheltered hollow, and there is also a beautiful spring for taking water right next to it.

From the break place, the trail continues along a fine ridge/kettle formation towards eastern Matolampi pond, and the trail runs along a driving path and a smaller path east of it. At the northern end of the pond, the path merges again with the longest route along a driving path. From here onwards, the route goes to the north and the closed down mine, crossing the Raajärventie road. At the mine, the route runs on the western side of a collapsed mining pit, nowadays filled with water, to a pit headframe that is still up and standing.

From the pit headframe, the route continues along the old mine road for approximately 400 metres, after which it separates from the road to left towards the ruins of a cottage on the shore of the nearby lake. From here onwards, the route runs on the eastern bank of the pond to the ruins of the sauna on the opposite shore.

From the sauna ruins, the route continues close to Raajärventie and, crossing a small wetland, towards the Arctic Circle located on the top of the ridge.

A magnificent view opens up from the “Arctic Circle” sign to the spring pond below. When leaving the “Arctic Circle” sign, the route immediately crosses Raajärventie, after which it continues going around a large kettlehole and along a handsome ridge formation to the northwest and the forest truck road. The ridge offers a handsome view to the pond below. On the forest truck road, the 3.7-kilometre route merges with the longest route. After running along the forest truck road for approximately 100 metres, the route takes a left turn to the hiking trail dating back to the days of the mine, along which the route runs for the most of the remaining journey, except for the common 400-metre start and end section.

Route: Raajärvi - Matovaara - old mine - Raajärvi

Length of the route: 10.4 km

Rating of the route: Easy

Purpose of the route: Walking trail

Other: The route can also be travelled as a shorter version, options 8.7 km and 3.7 km.

Open free map here