Bears Trail & Ruunaa Rapids
This 4-day-program is widely open about distances walked per day and places where to have overnight. We start our hike at the Lakes Änäkäinen, only 7 km eway from Eräkeskus. Hikinng on Bears Trail south, we reach the region of the Ruunaa rapids. We hike as long and as far as we have pleasure and decide about next days distance all together during the trip.
Day-by-Day-Program
Arrival at Eräkeskus should be latest at 10h00 in the morning. Here you meet your guide and maybe some other hikers.Of course you can also spend the day before the hike in our guesthouse. We pack our things and make sure, everybody has a similar weight to carry. Then we get transferred to the Lakes Änäkäinen, where we start our hike on the Bears Trail.
Our way first leads us through forests and small swamp areas, follows river Hähnijoki and Lakes Piilonen, then startin an easy uphill to pass over Mount Hovivaara. Soon after this highest point we can already hear the sound of the Naarakoski-Rapids. A bit further we pass by the Info-Center of teh Ruunaa area where we can find information about the area and its history. Then we continue the hike and follow the "Koskikierros" all along the many different and impressing rapids of the Ruunaa area, with hanging bridges and wide open swamps. There are many windshelters and camping sites in this area, which makes it easy for us to descide when and where we stop our daily hike and get our overnight-camp ready. Dinner is prepared on open fire and after that the light nights give us plenty of time for enjoying silence and nature.
On day 4 we call the lodge and inform about our arrivel place and estimated time, to make sure, our transfer car is ready there for bringing us back to Eräkeskus.
The daily distances are completely open, can be everything between 10 and 30 km, decided by all of us, according to weather, fitness and our own wishes. We stay where we find a lovely place and we continue when we want to!