In the vicinity of Hämeenlinna city lies a beautiful natural destination – this is the Lake Aulanko loop trail

The splendid Aulanko Nature Reserve boasts not only a variety of unique curiosities but also a complete 7-kilometer loop trail encircling Lake Aulanko. Predominantly serene in nature, this loop deviates at two swimming beaches and a fire pit, ventures through a forest named after Finland’s national composer Jean Sibelius, and meanders past stunning scenic cliffs.

• Starting Point on Map
• Address: Aulanko Outdoor Lodge, Linnanen 75, Hämeenlinna
• Loop Trail: 7 km
• Features: Hut, fire pit, two swimming beaches

It’s recommended to commence the trail at the Aulanko Outdoor Lodge, which is adjacent to a spacious parking area. On our own excursion, we stayed at a nearby spa hotel, choosing a slightly different approach: we ascended the hill straight from the hotel entrance, traversed the magnificent parks of Aulanko, past Swan Lake and Forest Lake, to the summit of Aulanko hill and its lookout tower. From in front of the tower, we descended over 300 steps, bypassed a beautiful bear statue, and finally reached the lakeside at the bottom, where we began the loop trail. Below are photos from this journey – these sights are not part of the official Lake Aulanko trail.

You can also drive to the Aulanko lookout tower, but the parking area is quite small and likely very popular during peak season. Therefore, it’s probably best to follow the recommendation and park at the outdoor lodge’s parking area if planning to embark on the Lake Aulanko trail.

We immensely enjoyed the wonders of Aulanko even before reaching the official loop trail. I warmly recommend experiencing Aulanko’s distinctive marvels, diverse structures, and parks within the area. During our visit, blue anemones and mezereums bloomed, and the birch trees’ budding leaves shimmered like emeralds during those fleeting moments when sunlight managed to pierce the gray cloud cover, bringing a hint of light and perhaps even warmth to the chilly spring evening of May Day.

After descending the tower’s stairs, we were grateful that climbing them was not part of our plan, as it would have been quite a strenuous ascent! We began circling Lake Aulanko counterclockwise, intending to eventually return to the outdoor lodge and head back to the spa hotel, thus only leaving a small segment of the loop trail untraveled.

Along the wide gravel path, we encountered numerous dog walkers and leisurely cyclists. On one side lay Lake Aulanko, while on the other rose a damp and dark spruce forest with mossy forest floors.

Aulanko has a separate mountain biking, or MTB, trail that appeared to be well-marked. My mountain biking husband, who didn’t have his bike with him this time, clearly heard the call of Aulanko’s bike trails and began planning our next trip to include cycling. Mountain biking is allowed on designated trails in the area, with separate maps available here.

We passed an endless row of rowboats. There, an information board and a crucial Police notice extensively explained that fish must not be subjected to unnecessary suffering, as it’s known that fish can sense pain, and thus they must be immediately stunned when caught. This made me very happy. It seems the world is progressing in small steps.

We arrived at Kihtersuo Beach. At the beach, the gravel path turned into a boardwalk.

After a short distance on the boardwalk, it led us right to the water’s edge, where we walked for a long stretch. I adore such stages, being right between water and forest; they possess a mysterious and beautiful allure. I also noticed that the water of Lake Aulanko was very clear.

The boardwalk passed beneath the slope of Käärmekallio (Serpent Rock). At the fire pit, a large group was celebrating May Day, so we opted not to join them, but there was also a splendid jetty in front of the fire pit. Instead, we climbed the stairs up.

At the top of the stairs, the path continued left towards Levonkallio viewpoint, which was very close. We could have also turned right to explore the Sibelius Forest nature reserve, which supposedly has various trails. That area also houses the Käärmekallio viewpoint, which we didn’t pass this time.

The view from Levonkallio was also magnificent. The gray weather slightly diminished the strength of the view, but at least it wasn’t raining, so we were quite content.

On the cliff, as elsewhere along the journey, were intriguing information boards that introduced us to the area’s nature and our national composer, Jean Sibelius, inspired by it. The guideboards were very informative. The story goes that Sibelius was inspired to compose his masterpiece, Finlandia, right here in Aulanko, his hometown of Hämeenlinna.

From the edge of the cliff, the path plunged into the forest. The large trees caught our attention; there were many, and they were sizable. After many years spent in Lapland, I continue to be amazed by the giant proportions of trees in Southern Finland when I come across such grand specimens.

We crossed babbling and sometimes rushing streams. From one bank, I spotted cheerful yellow, tiny golden saxifrages.

At some point, the path widened and turned into a gravel road. Along the gravel road, we circled the northern end of the lake, passing various lodging cabins, a golf course, and even some detached houses. However, we didn’t need to travel the entire remainder of the route on the road, as soon signs guided us back into the shelter of the forest and on the home stretch towards the outdoor lodge.

The lodge’s hut would have been a five-star spot for a snack, but we didn’t bring any food. Down by the water was a pier, so in the summer heat, I would surely have gone for a swim – but now, the cold and the wind preceding the rain kept even me out of the water.

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This post is also available in: German