Ruokolahti: Wooden Church, Hiking Trails and Lake Saimaa

Ruokolahti combines cultural history with a variety of landscapes. The present-day wooden church and the nearby Eukkojen Trail offer insights into the history of the church area; the municipality also has forests, rock formations, waterfalls and a long sandy beach. You can plan your trip around the things that interest you most.

Church, local history and geological traces

Ruokolahti’s present-day church was completed in 1854 as a wooden cruciform church. Its style lies between Empire and Neo-Gothic. Its cross-shaped design, building material and blend of styles make it a distinctive cultural attraction that can be appreciated even without prior knowledge of art history: the architecture brings two different styles together in one building.

The Ruokolahti Local History Museum displays around 3,000 objects across three floors. The Eukkojen Trail runs close to the church hill and is about 3 km long. It presents both the history of the church area and distinctive geological formations. Thus, the area around this theme brings together architectural history, the local past and the shaped landscape, without limiting the trail to just one of these aspects.

Hikes and landscapes in the municipality

The hiking trail network in the municipality of Ruokolahti consists of two circular routes that can be combined into a 40 km loop. This offers different distances to choose from: the approximately 3 km Eukkojen Trail and the combinable 40 km loop. These figures describe different options and should not be understood as parts of the same route.

At Haukkavuori, the rocky outcrop rises about 80 metres above Lake Sarajärvi. From there, you can look out over the lake and its wooded shores. Due to its valuable plant and animal life, Haukkavuori is one of southeastern Finland’s Natura areas. The landscape here can therefore be appreciated both for its views and its protected nature.

Kemppilän Myllykoski offers a different natural scene: over a short stretch, the water drops about 17 metres; it is Finland’s fifth-highest waterfall. Huuhanranta provides a contrast in the landscape. The gently curving sandy beach is 1.5 km long and is one of the longest beaches on Lake Saimaa. The waterfall and the beach represent two clearly distinct sides of the municipality, without promising the same kind of outing.

Discover military history and woodland landscapes

In Syyspohja, you can see Salpa Line fortifications in various states: completed, unfinished and collapsed structures, as well as water-filled foundation pits of bunkers. You can also walk for kilometres alongside an anti-tank barrier made of large stones. These varied traces make the fortifications tangible as a landscape and reveal more than just individual structures.

Near Lassila, the cave at the fortress hill is known as “Linnavuoren kirkko” and is an interesting hiking destination. Wooden stairs make it easier to climb into the cave. In the Lanajoki nature reserve, meanwhile, you can observe different natural stages of forest development. It is home to old, large black alders, the Lanakoski waterfall, flower meadows, the Lanajoki nature trail and visible remains of an old mill. These destinations combine nature observation with distinctive traces of the landscape’s history.

Choose the right focus for your holiday rental

When looking for a holiday rental, it helps to first decide which experiences matter most to you: the church, local history museum and Eukkojen Trail offer culture, history and geology; the municipality also has longer hiking trails, a beach, a waterfall and nature destinations. You can choose accommodation based on the places you plan to visit. This way, you can focus your search on the places you actually want to explore.

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

Back to the main travel overview: Lake Saimaa.