Koliwood

Wintertime at Koliwood Holiday Cottages

Winter is a magical time at Koli. Snowcovered hills are not just beautiful to look at but also offer great opportunities for winter sport. In the middle of winter, lake Pielinen can be driven across by car and snowmobiles. Koli has a 50-kilometre-network of well-maintained cross-country ski tracks as well as two downhill skiing centres.

Beautiful Koli National Park. See also Metla pages for more details.
Loma-Koli (in Finnish only) Snowboarding and sledging hills 2,2 km
Ukko-Koli and Downhill ski slopes 8,3 km
Well-maintained cross country ski tracks start 300 metres from the Cottages
Ski equipment hire
Kicksleds and Snowshoe Walking
Showshoe treks organised
Snowmobile Safaris
Guided nature tours and activities (in Finnish only)
Dogsled Tours (in Finnish only)
Drive to Lieksa town by car on the ice of the lake
Events (in Finnish only)

Summertime at Koliwood Holiday Cottages

Summer time offers whole range of different activities. You can relax on the sandy beach where the shallow water is ideal for children. You can also try your luck with fishing and have a go at rowing a boat: Lake Pielinen is Finland’s fifth largest lake and is well-suited also for sailing and motorboating.

You may also catch a boat from Koli harbour and have a day trip to the nearest town.

Koli National Park provides a versatile network of hiking trails, some of them with overnight shelters. You can go it alone or book yourself on an organised hike.

The local roads are also ideal for cycling. Try cycling to the famous view-point at Ukko-Koli.

Safe swimming
Sailing
Motorboats
Hunting
Canoe Trekking and Rowing
Fishing
Cycling and Hiking (see hiking map)
Many of the Karelia Hiking Routes in brief
Boat trips to e.g. Nurmes and Lieksa towns
Hiking trails and more information here at outdoors.fi as well as North-Karelia Walkers' Guide pages
Nature tours - shooting rapids, fishing, hunting and snowmobile safari
Horseback Riding and riding classes (in Finnish only)
Guided nature tours and activities (in Finnish Only)
Berry and Mushroom picking in the autumn - blueberry, lingonberry and raspberry are abundant also at the Koli National Park
Summer theatre 27.6.-16.7.2006, Holiday Cottage Fair 16.6.-9.7.2006, treks, shows and other summer events in www.koli.fi pages (event details in Finnish, English brief)
Shopping and more in nearby villages and towns: Koli village (6 km), Lieksa or Joensuu

More Places of Interest

Koli

Koli National Park, directions and maps in outdoors.fi
Heritage Centre Ukko - information centre of Koli National Park
Downhill ski slopes Ukko-Koli
Downhill ski slopes Loma-Koli (in Finnish only)
Räsävaara Look-out tower - 5km from Koli village
Hiking Routes
Dogsled Tours (in Finnish only)
Boat Trips
Koli services: harbour, restaurant, cafe, pharmacy, nearest health centre in Juuka, petrol stations, taxi, good grocery store, equipment hire, souvenir shops, bank, post office, Kolinportti (in Finnish only) services in Ahmovaara, etc

Juuka

UKK Hiking Track - from Juuka to Vuokatti
Iso-Karhu "Big Bear" Nature Reserve - hiking, fishing
Vaikkojoki river - 50km long, 40 rapids as well as calmer stretches
The Finnish Stone Centre - about stone from the perspective of science, art and construction
Nunnanlahti The Soapstone Museum - history of the soapstone industry, restaurant, playground etc
Idyllic Wooden Juuka - old Finnish building tradition, art and handicraft exhibition, local ceramics,the Mill Museum includes a mill, granary and smoke sauna
Paalasmaa Archipelago - linked by ferry and a causeway, nature path
Tuomelan Tupa - museum in Ahmovaara
Aunen Kukkapiha "Flower garden" - hundreds of plants and herbs
Ceramics, Churches, a market
Juuka services: harbour, restaurants, grocery stores, souvenir shops, pharmacy, a vet, petrol stations, library, tennis court, sports hall, banks, post office, health centre, equipment hire etc

Lieksa

Koli Hill in the Koli National Park
Ruunaa Hiking Area
Patvinsuo National Park
Karjalan Kierros (in Finnish only) Finland's longest hiking route
Karhunpolku and many other hiking routes
Reposuo Nature Conservation Area - 12 km long orange-marked hiking trail "Ketunlenkki"
Numerous canoeing water routes in Jongunjoki (68km - rapids), Pankasaari (75km - no vertical drops, suitable for families) and Ruunaa (80km - rapids)
Trips and equipment hire Tourist Service Karelia Expert
Pielinen Museum (in Finnish only)
Paateri Church designed by Eva Ryynänen
Pikkukili Elämyspiha (in Finnish only)
Home of Bear Hunter Väinö Heikkinen
Yrjölän Kotiseututalo
Vuonislahti Village - stoneage living area
Mätäsvaara - former mining village
Lieksa Brassweek in July
Children's traffic park
Lieksa services: harbour, coach station, railway station, dance pavilion, restaurants, village shops, souvenir shops, pharmacy, vet, petrol stations, library, tennis court, sports hall, banks, post office, health centre, equipment hire etc

Nurmes

Peurajärvi ja Mujejärvi Lakes Hiking and Fishing areas
Saramon Jotos - 60km long wilderness hiking route
Ellunpolku - 5km long marked nature trail beginning at Hyvärilä Tourism Centre, typical Pielinen and hilly landscapes
UKK Hiking route - 120km, from Vuokatti via Nurmes to Juuka
Saramo Rapids Lure and Fly Fishing Area
Natural Salmon Ponds - Lohikeidas Lokinlampi, Huuhdin Kalapiha, Riihilampi with services
Boat trips
Bomba House tourism centre embodying the Karelian living environment - restaurant, spa etc
Old, idyllic area of wooden houses in the village centre
Nurmes-Talo Museum - cultural services
Pony and horse riding
Kajaste Dance Pavilion
Nurmeksen palvelut: railway station, coach station, pharmacies, banks, churches, handicraft and souvenirs, post office, restaurants, cafes