Spring Comes to Southern Finland: A February Day in Liesjärvi National Park

The midday sun in February did its best, dazzling against a cloudless blue sky. Yet, stepping outside, a brisk wind hit our faces, making the air, already nipped with frost, feel particularly biting. The urge for a hike struck us, and we decided that this time it would be Liesjärvi National Park’s turn. Its majestic forests promised shelter from the biting wind! Our destination was Kyynäränharju esker, and we planned to stop by the Savilahti campsite as well.

Pirttilahti parking area on the map

Trail approx. 2.5 km one way

We left our car at the Pirttilahti parking area. Given the beautiful weather and it being Saturday, I thought it might be crowded, especially since the over-kilometer-long and very narrow Kyynäränharju esker is one of the main attractions of Liesjärvi National Park, along with Korteniemi Heritage Farm. Moreover, it’s just over an hour’s drive from the capital region, so you’d think there would be more people here on weekends, especially if the weather is nice. But to our surprise, there were only four cars in the parking lot when we arrived midday, with plenty of space to spare.

Next to the parking lot were a latrine and information boards. We reviewed the map and decided to hike to the Savilahti campsite in addition to traversing the ridge, aiming for a total of about five kilometers of outdoor activity.

The parking area is located in a beautiful spot at the bay’s inlet. On the ice, we saw a group of three ice fishermen, but other than that, there were no people within sight or earshot.

We set off on the path leading to the ridge, surrounded by the scenery above. Right at the beginning of our journey, we passed by the Hyypiö rental hut, located on the shore of Kyynärä Lake (pictured below), offering an excellent accommodation option for those coming from afar or anyone wishing to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of Liesjärvi National Park for more than just a day trip. The hut needs to be booked in advance and comes with a slight cost.

The most impressive part of Kyynäränharju esker is the long, narrow stretch that runs between Liesjärvi and Kyynärä lakes, separating them. As narrow as the esker is, it has two paths: one lower near the water’s edge and another higher up on the ridge (pictured below). On our way there, we walked the path by the shore and on our return, took the path through the shrubbery higher up, so it didn’t feel like we were retracing our steps.

The colors of the landscape below swept my (spring-longing) thoughts away to the seas of white anemones in May – the snowy carpet of lingonberry bushes somehow created a similar green-white view.

The old age of the forest was wonderfully palpable. The richness of the decaying wood and the peace of the ancient forest could be sensed through sight, sound, and even by smelling the air and feeling it with our fingertips. The decayed logs had holes, mostly crafted by woodpeckers, I suppose.

The highlight of Kyynäränharju esker is a bridge that essentially connects two very long and narrow peninsulas. Below the bridge, water flows vigorously from Kyynärä Lake into Liesjärvi, creating an open water area. I spent a long time listening to the sound of the water and watching the currents flow. I hadn’t expected to encounter open water, which is a great love of mine, so this was a delightful surprise.

However, we didn’t spend too much time on the bridge as the wind reached us unobstructed there, and my fingers started to freeze while taking photos.

As we descended towards the other end of the esker, we saw an information board, and the parking lot of Kopinlahti came into view from behind the trees. We followed the path, hugging the shoreline towards the Savilahti rest area, which had been well signposted from the very start of our hike. The path was occasionally boarded, which I guessed is quite necessary here due to often wet conditions.

Soon, a giant pine tree along the path caught my attention. It’s immense. You can’t miss it, and it’s truly a magnificent tree.

The February sunshine and the sky, bluer than blue, were perfect for bringing out the magical essence of Liesjärvi’s tall forests. Down at our level, it was delightfully shady and sheltered, with only a few piercing rays of bright sunlight here and there adding a wonderful contrast to the otherwise bluish hue of the snow-covered forest. But up high, in the pine and spruce treetops, the warm light made the trees almost glow with the promise of spring.

At the Savilahti campsite, there were a few small groups of hikers and a tranquil, almost serene atmosphere. Smoke curled softly white from the campfire as hikers prepared their lunch. Someone had arrived by pulk, gliding across the ice to the spot, and the pulk rested on the shore ice while its owner surveyed the surroundings. Against the backdrop of large pines rested carefully packed backpacks, and the tents were enveloped in deep silence – unlikely that anyone was inside them in the middle of such a beautiful Saturday.

We had eaten at home before setting out and had drunk water in the car before venturing into the terrain, so stopping for a snack or a break wasn’t in our plans. We simply admired the beautiful views towards Liesjärvi for a while before turning back. The Savilahti rest area isn’t located at the bottom of the bay but rather on a rounded peninsula, offering very open and beautiful views of the lake.

The trail segment between Kyynäränharju esker and Savilahti campsite is mostly shaded by the forest, as shown in the picture below. In addition to pine and spruce, the path includes some damp areas where the boardwalks are a great help. The rock shown in the picture is the only one of its kind on this trail section, an intriguing sight amid the tall trees. It would be easy to imagine a lynx moving there and its growling causing shivers among campers on starry, frosty nights!

On our way back, my eyes were caught by a beautifully collapsed tree into Liesjärvi Lake, its tentacle-like branches striking a fine pose partly above the ice in the wind and frost, and partly submerged in the darkness and silence below.

While I was still photographing the heather, whose pink flowers made me think of late summer even in their frozen state, a burst of joyous shouts came from the group of ice fishermen. We headed back to our car and drove home, refreshed by the crisp winter air – an air that clearly carried a promise of spring.