Discover Loppi

Loppi combines nature experiences around Lake Melkutin with hiking trails, enduro safaris and a remarkably old wooden church. The outings offer distinctly different experiences: at Melkutin, you can go mountain biking, snorkelling, diving and paddling; at Pääjärvi, there are circular trails of several lengths. There is also the folk museum Lukkarin Puustelli, which showcases the material culture of rural South Häme. Which holiday rental in Loppi suits your plans therefore also depends on whether you mainly want to hike, cycle, enjoy water sports or discover the local culture.

Wooden church and rural culture

The Old Church of Loppi, also known as Santa Pirjon kirkko, is one of Finland’s oldest wooden churches. It stands on a hill surrounded by fields near the northern shore of Lake Loppijärvi, immediately north of the historic village site.

A dendrochronological study found that the last growth years of the trees used for the Old Church were 1665 and 1666. Construction probably began immediately afterwards.

The Lukkarin Puustelli folk museum offers another perspective on the region’s culture. Its collections represent the typical material culture of rural South Häme. The museum was established in the early 1960s by the wooden church Pyhän Birgitan puukirkko. At the time, more than 1,000 objects were collected from homes in Loppi for the museum. The collection thus tells the story of everyday material culture, while the Old Church itself puts a historic building at the centre.

Melkutin: water, trails and activities

At Melkutin, you can combine different activities, each offering a distinct kind of outing: mountain biking is possible there, as are snorkelling and diving. Lake Melkutin is also suitable for paddling. The access roads leading from the car parks to the shore are fitted with barriers. Keep this restriction in mind when planning your trip to the lake.

The Melkutin route is about 7 km long from the car park on Tauluntie. There are two rest areas along the route, each with a dry toilet. The trails in the Melkutin area form part of Hämeen Ilvesreitti, a network of connecting trails over 200 km long that runs through Riihimäki, Loppi, Tammela and Hämeenlinna. If you are planning a longer hiking trip, you can see how the character of an individual trail fits into the broader route of the connecting trail network.

An annual event in the area is Poronpolun polkaisu, held on the last Saturday in September. If you would like to plan your stay around this event, this recurring date is a useful reference for your travel plans.

Circular trails and safaris with different levels of difficulty

There are three circular trails at Lopen Pääjärvi, measuring 1.5 km, 4.5 km and 7.5 km. The well-marked Pääjärven kierto circular trail is 7.5 km long, passes through the areas of Hämeenlinna, Loppi and Tammela, and is best suited to hikers with some experience. So when choosing, length is not the only difference; you should also take account of the experience level specified for this trail.

Another active option is the enduro safaris offered by Lopen Enduro. They take place in the estate of Leppäniemi in Loppi, which covers about 1,300 hectares of forest. The safari routes include trails of varying difficulty and easy forest roads. Options are available for experienced riders as well as for those who are new to the sport. This lets you choose an activity based on your experience and preferred type of route, rather than treating all the options as equally challenging.

Discover other destinations

If you would also like to include other destinations in your search, you can find Hausjärvi, Hauho, Forssa, Tyrväntö, Tammela, Ypäjä, Hämeenlinna and Harviala here.

For the overview of the wider region, see: Kanta-Häme.