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The Elamo trail goes through versatile landscapes in the industrially used forests of Laipanmaa. The trail has few rises and drops and passes beautiful forest areas, peatland and lake shores. Elamo trail is great for a day trip and the terrain is also suitable for children.
Length: approximately 11 kilometres
Duration: approximately 4 hours
Trail markings: the trail is marked wit blue-headed marking poles like all Laipanmaa trails, and partly also with blue fabric bands and paint strokes.
Suitability: suitable also for beginner hikers.
Elamo Trail Description
The trail starts from Rajalan kämppä (Rajala`s hut), which has parking space and also serves as the starting point for other trails like the Nature Path. Rajala’s hut was built in 1946 to serve the needs of lumberjacks and beaters, as Laipanmaa’s forests were used to rebuild Finland after the War.
Through Versatile Views towards Verkkojärvi-lake
Elamo trail starts next to Rajala's hut towards the Verkkojärvi-lake. The terrain is rather varying. In the beginning you first go through an old forest and then a younger one, going up and down as you go. About half a kilometre along the trail has been changed and it does not go quite to the Verkkojärvi shore and Verkkojärvi-Matti’s old house ruins anymore, but turns to the right before that. The Verkkojärvi lean-to is also not right on the trail, but you can take the forest road the trail is about to cross.
From Lamminsuo to Elamonjärvi
After crossing the road the trail goes on to the next resting spot. The path passes sapling forest as well as older forest areas and goes by Teivaskukkula-hill towards the Lamminsuo-pond. Lamminsuo (in English: bog pond) is exactly that: a beautiful bog pond surrounded by plants like cloudberry and marsh tea. When the marsh tea blooms in June-July, the whole pond is surrounded by the wonderful scent. When leaving Lamminsuo, take the duckboards through a beautiful pine forest and continue on the trail past more saplings, spruce forests and rock until in about one kilometre you’ll arive on the waterfront and lean-to at Elamonjärvi-lake.
Moving on from the lean-to you’ll again pass some varied landscapes. The next thzree kilometres consist of a bit less than a kilometre on a forest roead, but also forests from very young to rather old, rises and drops as well as wetlands where calla lilies bloom.
Pinewoods and wooden bridges
Around the 8 kilometre mark you can leave the trail and visit the waterfront of lake Iso-Laippa. Otherwise continue right from the forest roead and towards the next halt, lake Ruokojärvi lean-to. This part of the trail is also a part of the Hirvijärvi trail. The scenery is partly dominated by pinewoods, partly mixed forest and the trail goes mostly on flat terrain but has a few rises and descents also. There are also a few brook crossings on wooden bridges. About a half a kilometre before the lean-to the trail follows a forest road again. From Ruokojärvi the trail joins with the Nature Path.
From the lean-to you will then descend to the marshy waterfront of lake Ruokojärvi, filled with plants like cloudberry, marsh tea and tussock cottongrass. A bit farther on, walking on the duckboards you can also see a blooming calla on the lakeside, if the season is right of course. After a steep, rocky ascent you will reach a hill with great views over the clearing. From here on it’s mostly descent and walking through older forest back towards Rajala’s Hut.
Suitability and gear
The trail can be categorized as demanding but only due to a few steep rises and descents along the trail. If you are careful in these spots, the trail is suitable also for beginner hikers, as the terrain is mostly normal forest path and at parts even wide forest roead.
Light footwear is enough, but during rainy or wet weather waterproof shoes are recommended. The grasses and leaves leaning over the paths easily get your shoes and your trouser legs wet. Areas with lots of rock and rootstocks may be slippery when wet – be especially careful in rises and descents with rocks or rootstocks.
Lean-to’s and fire places
There are three lean-to’s and fire places on the Elamo trail. Each rest area also has a latrine. Verkkojärvi lean-to is located a bit farter from the trail; you can take the forest road to get there. Elamonjärvi lean-to is about at the halfway mark and Ruokojärvi lean-to close to the end. There is no well in Laipanmaa so remember to bring enough drinking water with you.
You can also stay the night at any of the lean-to’s. If you would like to camp in a tent, please do so in the near of a lean-to to protect the terrain from wear and tear.