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Routes Finland Northern Savo - Lakeland Kokonmäen Kierto Trail in the Puijo area, City of Kuopio

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Kokonmäen Kierto Trail in the Puijo area, City of Kuopio

Hiking Route · Northern Savo - Lakeland

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Savonia University of Applied Sciences

Kokonmäen Kierto trail
Photo: Vicente Serra, City of Kuopio

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Take a walk through the old herb-rich forest, enjoy its coolness and admire unique knobby spruces in the nature reserve of Puijo, part of the Natura 2000 network.

moderate

Distance 2 km

1:00 h

66 m

194 m

129 m

You can take a nature trip with the whole family or challenge yourself by running in the steep terrain of Kokonmäki. The trail is popular among the trail runners.

The trail is a circle route that goes through the nature reserve of Puijo only few kilometres from the city center of Kuopio. The path is easy to walk but there are big differences in terrain's height what makes it more challenging.

Puijo's old forest is an ideal habitat for many birds like chaffinch, wrens and treencreepers, robin, song thrush, goldcrest and siskin and northern three-toed woodpecker, red-breasted flycatcher and greenish warbler.

In the Puijo area the number of knobby spruces (picea abies f. tuverculata) is exceptionally high. The knobby spruces have been named after the growing lumps or burls on the trunk of the trees. Besides of the fun-looking knobby spruces, the specialties of the route are extremely rare Drummond’s plagiomnium moss (Plagiomnium drummondii) and drooping woodreed (Cinna latifolia).

Author’s recommendation

A visit to the Puijo Tower is worth the effort. The Puijo Tower is about 800 metres from the beginning of the route.

Difficulty

moderate

Technique

Stamina

Experience

Landscape

Highest point

194 m

Lowest point

129 m

Best time of year

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Track types

Show elevation profile

Rest stops

Puijo Tower in Kuopio

Safety information

Due to the steep terrain, the trail is not suitable for people in poor condition.

During rain and wet weather, the path may be slippery.

Tips and hints

There are information boards along the route that tell you more about the plants and animals in the forest.

A visit to the Puijo Tower is worth the effort. The Puijo Tower is about 800 metres from the beginning of the route. You can get there along the marked Konttilan kierto hiking trail.

Start

Ylä-Antikkala Car Park, Antikkalantie 58, 70300 Kuopio (192 m)

Coordinates:

62.916529, 27.658027

DMS

62°54'59.5"N 27°39'28.9"E

UTM

35V 533425 6976460

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Destination

Ylä-Antikkala Car Park, Antikkalantie 58, 70300 Kuopio

Turn-by-turn directions

You can start the Kokonmäen Kierto Trail at the Konttila farm or bottom of the Antikkala ski slope. Guidance of anticlockwise Kokonmäen kierto Trail starts 200 metres east of the Konttila farm. The signs of starting point are located in the woods, not along the road, but are visible from Antikkalantie. The Kokonmäen Kierto Trail is marked with green paint markings on trees and wooden signposts.

Please note that Satulanotko and Ala-Antikkala are not situated along the Kokonmäen kierto route even if the connecting routes are marked in the same green markings and they partly go along on the Kokonmäen Kierto Trail. Make sure you don't get lost at crossings.

There are connecting routes to the Ala-Antikkala parking place and Satulanotko trails. The route to Satulanotko follows along the Kokonmäen kierto trail until it leaves it at the top of the wooden stairs. Ala-Antikkala parking place is situated only 700 metres from the starting point of the trail.

Note

all notes on protected areas

Public transport

Public-transport-friendly

Bus stops near the Ala-Antikkala ski slope parking place are situated about 500 metres from the Kokonmäen Kierto Trail.

The bus stops in Kallantie (Address: Kallantie 8) are called Antikkala E (south) and Antikkala P (north).

More information: bussit.kuopio.fi

Getting there

The best way to get to Kokonmäen Kierto Trail is from Antikkalantie which goes to the Konttila Farm. There are also bus connections from the city center to Antikkala slopes (Address Kallantie 8). The bus stop of Antikkala slopes is 500 metres from the hiking trail.

Parking

The car park is located at Antikkalantie 58, about 400 metres from the starting point of Kokonmäen Kierto Trail.

Coordinates

62.916529, 27.658027

DMS

62°54'59.5"N 27°39'28.9"E

UTM

35V 533425 6976460

w3w

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Show on Map

Arrival by train, car, foot or bike

Book recommendation by the author

More info about Puijo area.

Author’s map recommendations

The Map of the Puijo area: https://www.kuopio.fi/documents/7369547/7577474/Puijon+opaskartta/25fa048c-349a-4bd5-b720-0d77b9c6f9d7

All publications

Equipment

Dress according to the weather and always remember to take a water bottle. It is advisable to wear sturdy shoes. In rainy weather it is good to have waterproof footwear.

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