On the winter-quiet Ruostejärvi recreation area: Kurjenpolku trail, Tammela
The destinations of the Häme Lakeland are one more impressive than the next: Torronsuo and Liesjärvi National Parks, the Komio nature reserve, Saari Folk Park, the crystal-clear Melkutin lakes, and the recreation areas of Lake Pääjärvi and Lake Ruostejärvi (Rust lake)all offer beautiful trails to explore, the peace of the forest, the scent of labrador tea, and wonderful waterside views. Over the weekend, we stopped at the Ruostejärvi recreation area for a breath of fresh air in a quietly beautiful nature destination, emptied of people by the winter frost.
- Location on map
- Kurjenpolku loop trail 1.2 km (with plenty of additional trails that allow you to extend the hike in different directions)
- Campfire site: Myllylahti lean-to shelter nearby
- Accessible: no
- Arriving by car: Härkätie 810, Tammela
- Arriving by public transport: The nearest bus stop, “Eerikkilä th”, is 1.7 km away along Highway 2
The Ruostejärvi recreation area has been one of those places for me for years that I have often driven past, thinking that I really should stop there someday. It’s just that Ruostejärvi is quite close to Iso-Melkutin, where in summer I am always in a great hurry to go snorkelling, so I had never actually taken the time to stop at Ruostejärvi before this visit.
At the corner of the parking area stands an impressive gateway structure with information boards. We set off along the Kurjenpolku loop trail, which is 1.2 kilometres long. We added a bit of extra distance to our walk by visiting the narrow tip of Kurjenniemi and the bridge that connects the peninsula to another narrow isthmus – more on that later. For now, however, we did not pass through this gate but headed into the forest along a signposted trail starting in front of it.
The route began on boardwalks, and continued as such for quite a while. Snow had covered the forest, and the boards were wrapped in a soft white blanket as well, so instead of clattering footsteps we made only gentle swishing sounds, quickly swallowed by the wind rustling through the trees. The temperature was just –11°C, but the wind made the air biting cold. My own mittens were nowhere near warm enough; my partner had chosen more wisely and was wearing thick, windproof winter mitts.
Before long, the trail led us to the shore of Myllylahti bay. At the junction, Kurjenpolku turned left, but I wanted to take a short look to the right to see a forest stream. On the map, the stream looked substantial enough that I suspected it might still be unfrozen – and indeed it was. It was lovely to stand on the bridge for a moment and watch the flowing water in both directions. Had we crossed the bridge and continued a short distance further, we would have reached the Myllylahti lean-to shelter, visible on the opposite shore of the bay.
As we were not planning to make a fire and mainly just wanted to get some fresh air and movement during our long drive, we returned from the bridge to Kurjenpolku and continued the loop. The forest path following the shoreline was charming; I am especially fond of sections like this, where you can walk at the same time by the water and sheltered within the forest. Already here, I noticed the abundance of labrador tea and found myself thinking about the compass directions, trying to figure out where the summer sunset would shine from. The shore lies to the east, so perhaps this would be a better spot for early risers to enjoy the morning glow among the labrador tea shrubs.
The snow was full of mouse tracks, but earlier human footprints had been softened out of sight by fresh snowfall.
We arrived at another junction where Kurjenpolku once again turned left, and once again we chose to take a detour to the right. We wanted to see the tip of Kurjenniemi and the bridge starting there. The scenery was beautiful: a pine-covered ridge with the lake rippling on both sides of a narrow strip of land.
Kurjenniemi and the bridge beginning there separate Myllylahti bay from the rest of Lake Ruostejärvi. Now, with everything buried under ice and snow, the view perhaps resembled a fenced field more than a bridge crossing water. Still, I can well believe that in the open-water season this is a truly beautiful spot. It reminded me a little of the Pususilta bridge in Punkaharju. This bridge had a raised section, no doubt to allow paddlers to pass underneath.
The wind on the bridge was biting. We crossed over and stepped onto the isthmus that, in turn, separates Lake Ruostejärvi from the round-shaped Leppilammi pond. From here it would have been only a short distance to Eerikkilä Sport & Outdoor Resort, but as we had no plans to head that way, we simply admired the views and then turned back toward the bridge, and Kurjenpolku trail.
The Kurjenniemi trail was truly beautiful to walk in both directions. The sun tried to peek through the clouds, though without much success.
We were soon back on Kurjenpolku, which next led us to the beach. Once again, my attention was drawn to the abundance of labrador tea, now even greater than in the previous spot – a vast field of fragrant plants sleeping their winter sleep, with pines rising high among them. This is surely a place where the sunset is visible in summer too, and the combination of scenery, scent, and atmosphere must then be magical.
Winter had frozen the swimming beach into an unbroken slumber. A sweet little changing cabin was waiting for summer just as eagerly as I was. I have heard that the beach is shallow for a long way out, and that the lake itself is rust-coloured.
At the corner of the beach, we came across the area map once more, and from there began a wide walking path – or a narrow road – through the forest back to the parking area. We had already had enough outdoor exercise for this break, but the walk could easily have been extended by continuing along the Lapinniemi Trail, which starts at the beach and forms a 0.8-kilometre loop.
This small winter loop in the nature of the Ruostejärvi recreation area left me thinking that an autumn foliage hike would be a must here – and that the area is likely at its most enchanting on a sunny summer evening, when the labrador tea is in bloom.
Read next
A Hidden Forest Oasis in Hämeenlinna – Discover Ahvenisto nature reserve & lake
Canoeing in the Land of a Thousand Lakes: Liesjärvi National Park in Southern Finland
A beautiful little trail in Liesjärvi National Park in Tammela: the Ahonnokka Nature Trail
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