The Salpa Trail offers an excellent natural setting for outdoor exercise and refreshment. The Salpa Trail familiarises hikers with both the Salpa Line and the wonderful nature and cultural environment of South-East Finland.
moderate
Distance 51.5 km
72:00 h
162 m
146 m
70 m
11 m
The Salpa Trail is a 50-kilometre hiking route running along the Salpa Line. The route passes through forests, hills and fields in Virolahti and Miehikkälä, continuing all the way to the Hostikka cave in South Karelia. On the way, you can explore sites of the Salpa Line, such as various reinforced concrete dugouts, caves and other fortifications. The sites have information boards. Good starting points for the route are the Salpa Line Museum in Miehikkälä, the Bunker Museum in Virolahti and the Harju Learning Centre, all located along the Salpa Trail. The route can be travelled both ways as well as in shorter sections, and it is suitable for mountain biking. In Miehikkälä, the Myllylampi outdoor recreation area with its rest area and beach is connected to the Salpa Trail route. There are two circular routes in Harju: the Vahtivuori and Huovinmäki trails. The Bunker Museum also includes two circular routes: the Trail of the Unknown Soldier and the Wilderness Trail.
Author’s recommendation
- Good starting points for the route are the Salpa Line Museum in Miehikkälä, the Bunker Museum in Virolahti, the Harju Learning Centre and the Hostikka cave.
- If you have little ones in the family, you can take them for a shorter trip to cook sausages over a campfire at one of the rest areas along the route. It is possible to drive close to the destinations by car as well.
- Drinking water is available at four locations on the route: Harju Learning Centre, both museums, and Sihkarinkallio. The water point of the Salpa Line Museum is available from November to April during opening hours and by prior arrangement.
- There are more than 100 geocaches along the Salpa Trail, providing geocaching enthusiasts with tremendous challenges, historical landscapes and beautiful nature.
Difficulty
moderate
Stamina
Experience
Landscape
Highest point
70 m
Lowest point
11 m
Best time of year
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Track types
Dirt road
24 km
Forested/wild trail
13.7 km
Path
11.9 km
Road
1.9 km
Rest stops
Harjun Hovi ja kesäkahvila KiessiMatsun taukopaikka
Salpaparkki
Salpalinja Museum
Safety information
There are some elevation differences and slightly more difficult sections of terrain on the route. Exploring the Salpa Line structures takes places at one’s own risk, exercising special care and caution. You should bring a good flashlight. In caves and dugouts, things to consider include the risk of falling and slipping, the iron pins on the walls and ceiling here and there, and the low door openings. It should also be noted that mobile phone coverage is poor in caves and on some parts of the route.There is no winter maintenance on the route, but hiking or snowshoeing is possible in the winter as well.
Tips and hints
- There are 13 rest areas on the route where you can stay the night in a lean-to, a hut, a lodge, a dome bunker or a tent, depending on the location. All the rest areas have a campfire spot as well as a lean-to, a hut or a cookhouse and a toilet.
- The Ravijoki rest area, Harju Learning Centre and Salpa Line Museum have saunas. The Jermula and Muhikko lodges have saunas and swimming is possible. All the saunas are available by prior arrangement. There are beaches for swimming at Pyyhinlampi and Myllylampi.
- The time required for the route is two to three days for hikers and one to two days for mountain bikers.
- The route is marked in the terrain with guideposts and blue route signs. Deviations from the route for cyclists have been taken into account in the signs.
- The starting points and rest areas have information boards about the route and the site’s history.
- The route is partially accessible when travelling with a pram.
Start
Harju Learning Centre, Katariinankuja 19, 49980 Ravijoki (30 m)
Coordinates:
DD
60.533412, 27.552027
DMS
60°32'00.3"N 27°33'07.3"E
UTM
35V 530293 6710945
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Destination
Lappeenranta, Hostikka cave, Hostikantie 30, 54490 Ahomäki
Turn-by-turn directions
The route can be travelled both ways. You can also start the route from the Salpa Line Museum in Miehikkälä and the Bunker Museum in Virolahti.
The museums have free parking, campfire spots, camping facilities, accessible toilets and water points. Shower and laundry facilities as well as café services are available during museum opening hours. The Salpa Line Museum in Miehikkälä also has a sauna and a lunch restaurant.
Public transport
There is infrequent bus service to both Miehikkälä and Virolahti. Timetables can be viewed from the links below.https://liput.matkahuolto.fi/connectionsearch#breadcrumb
https://liikennevuorela.fi/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Aikataulu-syksy-2021_uusittu.pdf
Taxes:
https://www.miehikkala.fi/yritys/taksi-ihaksi-ky/
https://www.kymenlaaksontaksi.fi/
By road
The E18 motorway is an easy and fast route from the Helsinki metropolitan area to Virolahti and Miehikkälä.Parking
Salpa Trail starting/ending points- Virolahti, Harju Learning Centre, Katariinankuja 19, 49980 Ravijoki
- Virolahti Bunker Museum, Vaalimaantie 1318, 49960 Ala-pihlaja
- Miehikkälä Salpa Line Museum, Säästöpirtintie 70, 49700 Miehikkälä
- Lappeenranta, Hostikka cave, Hostikantie 30, 54490 Ahomäki
Parking is free of charge at all these locations.
Coordinates
DD
60.533412, 27.552027
DMS
60°32'00.3"N 27°33'07.3"E
UTM
35V 530293 6710945
w3w
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Arrival by train, car, foot or bike
Book recommendation by the author
- Terho Ahonen: Salpalinja Suomen suoja
- Salpalinjan perinneyhdistys ry: Salpalinja- Itsenäisyyden monumentti
- Mikko Kylmälä: Kuinka salata Salpalinja
Author’s map recommendations
Equipment
Weatherproof clothing, good hiking boots, a flashlight, walking sticks and a Salpapolku hiking map that can be found from both of the museums, and also from the Miehikkälä Town Hall (Keskustie 4 A). Upon request, the map can also be sent to your postal address.Difficulty
moderate
Distance
51.5 km
Duration
72:00 h
Ascent
162 m
Descent
146 m
Highest point
70 m
Lowest point
11 m
Statistics
2D
3D
Maps and trails
- 41 Waypoints
- 41 Waypoints
Distance
km
Duration
: h
Ascent
m
Descent
m
Highest point
m
Lowest point
m
Questions and answers
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