The national hiking trail the UKK Hiking Trail leads
through the Sallatunturi Area. Karhunkierros
Trail which comes from the Kuusamo direction continues on northward as the
UKK Hiking Trail from Hautajärvi Visitor
Centre
through the municipality of Salla into Savukoski all the way to Tulppio.
The trail is marked in the terrain with red plywood plaques.
There are many rest spots such as campfire shelters, lean-to shelters and
wilderness huts along the trail. Hikers can choose to travel different length
sections of the trail. From the trail hikers can explore the wilderness zones as
well as visit numerous well-known sights in
the area.
Starting Points for Trail
Possible starting points in the Sallatunturi Area for the UKK Hiking Trail
include:
Hautajärvi Visitor Centre
- Sallatunturi ski resort
- Vilma forest road (south of Aihkipetsi day-trip hut)
- Hanhikangas in Kelloselkä
For driving directions see the Sallatunturi maps and directions web
page.
Level of Difficulty
The terrain in the area is demanding to hike across and many of the sections
require that hikers have substantial experience in wilderness trekking. For the
most part the trail leads through uninhabited forests and at several sections it
is advisable to check your direction with a map and compass.
Sections of the Route
The UKK Hiking Trail can be travelled section by section between Hautajärvi
and Kelloselkä
- Hautajärvi - Tervanpolttamalammit, 11 km
- Tervanpolttamalammit - Konttilampi, 7 km
- Konttilampi - Aihkipetsi, 12 km
- Aihkipetsi - Sallatunturi, 15 km
- Sallatunturi - Kelloselkä, 30 km
Hautajärvi - Tervanpolttamalammit, 11 km
The beginning portion of this trail leads across
privately owned lands, where maintenance of the trail is organised by the
municipality of Salla. When setting out from Hautajärvi Visitor Centre
the trail travels via the Koutajoki Bridge.
After the bridge The UKK Hiking Trail turns west onto a forest road, which it
follows for one kilometre. The route leads through Kirjavanviita and
Kirjavanjänkä. Before reaching the local Isoviita road the trail travels across
an open field. At Isoviita the route follows a road for a kilometre again. At
Vantturimpi Mire the trail has duckboards along it and it follows the route of a
snowmobile track. Before reaching Kaartiselkä there is just under a kilometre’s
long portion of road after which the trail dives into young pine forest and
follows old tracks left from logging all the way to Tervanpolttamalammit rest
spot. Here visitors can rest in a campfire shelter which is maintained by the
municipality of Salla.
Tervanpolttamalammit Lakes - Lake Konttilampi, 7 km
From the small lakes the trail ascends to a forest road and crosses it after
which the trail climbs straight up the slope of Puupalovaara Hill. On top of the
slope there are ancient pines. An old postal route, along which post travelled
between the villages of Niemelä and Aholanvaara before the wars, lead through
some part of this area.
The ascent continues and the view opens up towards the east; hikers are
surrounded by trees which have been weighed down with heavy crown snow loads.
The UKK Hiking Trail leads along a hard fell earth and straight ahead one of
Palotunturi Fell’s spruce covered peaks rises into view. The trail then descends
down the slope and there are glimpses of water from between trees; this is Lake
Pikkukonttilampi. After leaving this wilderness lake behind the trail continues
downward in dark spruce forest. Little by little ancient pines come into sight
and finally the trail reaches the shore of Lake Konttilampi which is lined with
pine trees. Hikers may rest or stay overnight at the campfire shelter located on
the shore.
Lake Konttilampi - Aihkipetsi, 12 km
From Konttilampi campfire shelter the trail climbs up into the fells again
where there are spruce and birch trees even at the very top. The damp
depressions on the slopes have become mires. On Palotunturi Fell there is a
scenic lookout point from where the view opens to the east. Looming on the
Russian side of the border are some larger fells such as Kieskistunturi and
Possolitunturi. Down below next to a shimmering lake is the village of Niemelä.
A short distance away at the top of the fell there is a small lake and on its
shore Palotunturi campfire shelter.
From this campfire shelter the trail descends to Topsakka-aapa Bog and the fells are
left behind. The vast mire area is the Löytöjänkä - Suksenpaistama-aapa
Mire Reserve. The trail leads across the long-grassed peatland via Topsakkaharju
Ridge, in places where the ground is damp and soft there are duckboards. At the
end of Topsakkaharju Ridge there is a bird watching tower from where visitors
can observe bird life in the surrounding mires and on the nearby Lake
Topsakkajärvi. Next to the bird watching tower there is also a campfire site.
Just over three kilometres from the bird watching tower there is a lean-to
shelter at the Suksenpaistamalammit Lakes.
At Topsakka, an old mire meadow, there is a grey barn which is a remnant of
life in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The feed for livestock was gathered
almost completely from natural meadows. The meadows were a long way from
settlements and so haymaking lasted several days. The haymakers lived in a turf
roofed Lapp pole tent or in herder’s cabins. The haymakers’ route from Kallunki
Village to Topsakka lead between the Palotunturi and Isovaara Fells. The hay was
transported to livestock in a horse-drawn sleigh during winter. Hay was gathered
from natural meadows up until a few years after Finland’s last war times.
The UKK Hiking Trail leads from the Suksenpaistamalammit Lakes along the west
slope of Aihkipetsi straight to Vilma forest road. From the road it is only a
kilometre’s trip to a wonderful resting spot, Aihkipetsi day-trip hut on the
shore of Kalliolampi.
Aihkipetsi - Sallatunturi, 15 km
From the day-trip hut there are three route options to
reach Sallatunturi. You can continue your journey along Aihkipetsi Trail, which leads around the east
side of Ruuhitunturi Fell, along Ruuhitunturi
Trail
which climbs to the top
of Ruuhitunturi Fell or along the actual UKK Hiking Trail which travels between
the two fore mentioned trails.
The UKK Hiking Trail climbs from Aihkipetsi day-trip hut onto
Kuusikkoruuhivaara Hill and on its north side turns off the Aihkipetsi and
Ruuhitunturi Trails to travel east towards Siskelilampi campfire shelter. From
Lake Siskelilampi the trail leads across hilly terrain to the edge of vast mires
and on from there along duckboards to the bottom of Kolmiloukkosenvaara Hill.
The trail then continues to Lake Kolmiloukkonen where there is a lean-to
shelter.
The Aihkipetsi Trail which comes from Aihkipetsi day-trip hut and
comes around the east side of Ruuhitunturi Fell unites with the UKK Hiking Trail
just before it reaches Lake Kolmiloukkonen.
From Lake Kolmiloukkonen the UKK Hiking Trail continues to Salla Reindeer
Park, at which point it crosses road 950 (Salla - Kuusamo). The hiking trail
follows road 950 on its east side until reaching Sallatunturi tourist centre.
Sallatunturi - Kelloselkä, 30 km
About half of this section of the UKK Hiking Trail
travels within the boundaries of the Aatsinki - Onkamo Natura Site.
When setting out from
Sallatunturi there are two route options when heading towards Aatsinginhauta
Canyon. The route options are around the same length. It is 8 km to the
crossroads before Pahakuru Ravine where the trails yet again meet.
Northern Route: Along the northern route hikers travel along the fell side to
Kaippahanoja lean-to shelter which is high on the fell’s forested slope and on
from there through a spruce filled mire towards Pahakuru Ravine.
Southern
Route: The other option is a trail that circles to the south side of
Sallatunturi. This trail follows the same route as the Sallatunturi - Kaunisharju Trail
all the way to Tunturilampi lean-to shelter. From the lean-to
shelter the UKK Hiking Trail continues to Kylmähete campfire shelter and from
there on towards Pahakuru Ravine.
The northern and southern routes meet up before reaching Pahakuru Ravine. In
the ravine’s surrounding areas and on its precipice there are ancient
pines. From the Pahakuru rest spot there are also steps to the bottom of
the canyon where there is a small stream. Hikers can get water for example to
make a pot of coffee at the campfire site. From the edge of the ravine from the
shelter of ancient pines there are glimpses of the view over Aatsinginhauta
Canyon.
The trail descends from the ravine to the very bottom of
Aasinginhauta Canyon.
The trail soon reaches Pitkälampi campfire shelter (Luppotupa) where
visitors can rest.
From Pitkälampi campfire shelter there are a set of duckboards leading north
for nearly a kilometre. To the left of the trail is the steep Julmoivanrinne
Cliff. The trail meanders through difficult to travel terrain at the bottom of
the canyon surrounded by hills. Before reaching the River Aatsinkijoki the UKK
Hiking Trail arrives at a forest road along which the trail continues the
Aatsinki Village. There is a lean-to shelter Koutalampi where visitors can once
again take a breather. At long last the village view with lots of water
opens in the nook of the area’s hills. From the village hikers can continue
onward along the road to Hanhikangas at Kelloselkä, where the trail crosses a
railroad track and comes to road 82 (Salla - Kelloselkä).
At Hanhikangas there are still tree stumps left from war-times. The Russians
used the same route during the Winter War when advancing westward. The troops
were sent supplies from a base at the old village of Salla. Finns did their best
to interfere with the enemy’s supply transportation and therefore the Russians
had to fell the sides of the road to open the view so that they can protect
their transport loads.
The UKK Hiking Trail continues in the eastern part of Salla northward from
Kelloselkä, but the trail is in poor condition and the markings along the trail
are partially lacking between Kelloselkä and Naruska.
