Digitrail hiking trails
Hämeenlinna, Aulanko
Located only about 4 kilometres from the centre of Hämeenlinna, Aulanko Nature Reserve and outdoor recreation area (approximately 750 ha) has attracted people to calm down, relax and get in contact with nature for already more than a century. Aulanko is well-known for its beautiful national landscapes and historical sights, offering something for everyone from older people to the smallest members of the family. Aulanko Nature Reserve contains an English-style park constructed between 1883 and 1938.
With its buildings, the park is a nationally significant environment of cultural history. In order to preserve the landscape’s spacious and park-like feel, the park forest is actively managed. It is easy to move about in the Aulanko region, and the area’s diverse services make it possible to spend more time in Aulanko’s naturally beautiful park forest. There are, for example, beaches, campfire sites, hiking and horse riding routes, an outdoor recreation centre, a café and restaurant services, as well as a hotel offering diverse activities in the area.
Useful links:
Aulanko-trails
Trail description
Theme of the trail: Treasures of Aulanko
The easy (approx. 2.8 km), blue route is located in the Aulanko Nature Reserve, and it passes by the main attractions of the region. The route starts from the Aulanko Outdoor Recreation Centre towards Ruusulaakson paviljonki (Rose Valley Pavilion), where it continues along the shore of Lake Metsälampi (Forest Pond). If they wish, visitors can stop by Lake Joutsenlampi (Swan Pond) from the Rose Valley Pavilion, to observe birds or just to sit back and relax for a while, admiring the beautiful pond. Lake Joutsenlampi (Swan Pond) also has a kiosk open for visitors in the summer. From Lake Metsälampi (Forest Pond), the trail continues into the depths of the park forest, where you can spend a moment surrounded by beautiful pine trees. The path then rises up to café Tornikahvila and the lookout tower of Aulanko, both of which are open in the summer. The lookout tower offers a beautiful view over the surrounding nature. You can also admire the scenery from a viewing platform in the vicinity of the tower. The trail returns mostly downhill back to the Aulanko Outdoor Recreation Centre. Good to know
The DigiTrail mobile app offers interesting information about the history and sights of the area, as well as available activities and services.
The trail can be easily tailored to the visitor’s wishes. There is a lot to see in Aulanko, and, especially in the summer, it is nice to take a slightly extended route and walk around Lake Joutsenlampi (Swan Pond). Visitors hungry for challenges and keen on raising their heart rate can combine the trail with a visit to Karhuluola (Bear Cave), which can be accessed by 322 steep stone steps leading down from the side of the viewing platform. The steps may be very slippery when it rains and during the winter. In the cave, visitors can admire a sculpture named Karhut (Bears) and gather their strength for taking the steps back up to the trail.
There is a campfire site by the Aulanko Outdoor Recreation Centre at the trail’s start. Café Tornikahvila and Joutsenlampi kiosk are open in the summer. The outdoor recreation centre offers opportunities for swimming all year round, a sauna for rent and fitness equipment. Aulanko Lookout Tower is located at the highest point of the trail, and it offers stunning views over the Häme landscape. The lookout tower is free of charge and open daily in the summer from 8 to 19. Aside from hiking, other possible activities in the Aulanko region include cycling, canoeing, swimming and horse riding. In the winter, there are also skiing trails of different lengths in the area. In the vicinity of Hotel Aulanko, visitors have an opportunity to play tennis, mini golf and golf on two different courts. The area also includes a spa and a climbing park.
In the Aulanko Nature Reserve, visitors are allowed to walk, ski, or drive a car on the ring road from 8 in the morning until 11 at night during the summer. They are also allowed to pick edible mushrooms and berries. According to the regulations, mountain biking is only permitted on the tarmacked ring road, as well as roads and paths surfaced with gravel. Riding is allowed only on separately allocated routes.
Level of difficulty
The easy route takes about one hour. The trail mostly follows a road or a gravel path, which is not slippery even in the rain. The southern part of the trail (from Lake Metsälampi to Aulanko Lookout Tower) consists of an uncoated forest path and may be muddy and/or slippery in rainy weather. In this case, waterproof footwear is useful, although otherwise regular outdoor equipment suffices. Winter boots with a good grip are recommended for the trail in the winter.
To the start of the trail
The route starts from the Aulanko Outdoor Recreation Centre, which has plenty of free parking space. Aulanko is signposted from the Helsinki–Tampere highway (highway 3) and from the Turku–Lahti road (highway 10). The distance between Hämeenlinna Railway Station and the Outdoor Recreation Centre is 5,3 km by car (taxi rank in front of railway station) and 4,7 km on foot. An internal bus (line number 2) also runs to Hotel Aulanko from the railway station. Hotel Aulanko is located approximately 1.5 km from the trail’s starting point, the Aulanko Outdoor Recreation Centre.
TRAIL’S START AND END POINT: Aulanko Outdoor Recreation Centre, Linnanen 75, 13220 Hämeenlinna 61.028646, 24.462335
TRAIL MARKINGS: There are no route markings along the trail, but the path is easy to follow with the DigiTrail app.
TRAIL SUITABILITY: :The trail is suitable for all hikers, both children and adults. The terrain is easy to walk on, and there are many attractions, activities and sitting areas along the way.
Trail description
Theme of the trail: Traveling with Colonel Hugo Standertskjöld
The intermediate (appr. 5,8 km), red trail follows the borders of Aulanko Nature Reserve, and passes by historically noteworthy attractions as well as protected ancient monuments, such as the old gunpowder magazine. The route starts from the Aulanko Outdoor Recreation Centre and runs along the shore of Lake Aulangonjärvi to Karhuluola (Bear Cave). A steep staircase consisting of 322 stone steps rises from Karhuluola (Bear Cave) to the Aulanko Lookout Tower, where the fittest hikers can climb to admire the magnificent national landscapes of Aulanko. From Karhuluola (Bear Cave), the trail continues slightly forward and turns to the right, continuing uphill towards the old gunpowder magazine. Remains of its stone wall can still be seen. From the gunpowder magazine, the trail continues towards Aulangontie Road and all the way to a granite castle. After the granite castle, originally built as a viewpoint in 1887 and currently functioning as a summer theatre for children, the trail continues to Lake Joutsenlampi (Swan Pond) in Aulanko. Lake Joutsenlampi is one Aulanko’s most impressive sights in the summer, and well worth visiting. A small kiosk by the Lake Joutsenlampi car park is open for visitors in the summer. It is rewarding to rest for a moment, have an ice cream and admire the birds by the lake. From Lake Joutsenlampi (Swan Pond), the trail continues to the Rose Valley Pavilion by Lake Metsälampi (Forest Pond), returning back to the starting point at the Aulanko Outdoor Recreation Centre.
Good to know
The trail is mostly lit; only the section from the gunpowder magazine to the granite castle does not have lights. The first part of the trail runs through a moist spruce forest, which turns into a pine forest after the gunpowder magazine. The trail can be easily tailored to the visitor’s wishes. For example, the Aulanko Lookout Tower can be accessed directly from Karhuluola (Bear Cave) along steep stone stairs. Please note that the steps may be very slippery when it rains and during the winter. The lookout tower is free of charge and open daily in the summer from 8 to 19. It is easy to stop by the hotel area from the granite castle and access its services.
Level of difficulty
The intermediate trail takes approximately 1.5 hours. The trail mostly follows a gravel path, and does not have any particularly difficult areas. The trail’s southern part consists of an uncoated forest path, which can be muddy or slippery in the rain. In this case, waterproof footwear is useful. Regular outdoor equipment is ideal for the trail. There are various places for resting along the trail, such as benches and pavilions. Winter boots with a good grip are recommended for the trail in the winter.
To the start of the trail
The route starts from the Aulanko Outdoor Recreation Centre, which has plenty of free parking space. Aulanko is signposted from the Helsinki–Tampere highway (highway 3) and from the Turku–Lahti road (highway 10). The distance between Hämeenlinna Railway Station and the Outdoor Recreation Centre is 5,3 km by car (taxi rank in front of railway station) and 4,7 km on foot. An internal bus (line number 2) also runs to Hotel Aulanko from the railway station. Hotel Aulanko is located approximately 1.5 km from the trail’s starting point, the Aulanko Outdoor Recreation Centre.
TRAIL’S START AND END POINT: Aulanko Outdoor Recreation Centre, Linnanen 75, 13220 Hämeenlinna 61.028646, 24.462335
TRAIL MARKINGS:: There are no route markings along the trail, but the path is easy to follow with the DigiTrail app.
TRAIL SUITABILITY: The route is perfect for hikers who enjoy longer routes and are interested in local history. The terrain is easy to walk on, and there are many attractions, activities and sitting areas along the way.
Trail description
Theme of the trail: Forest Yoga
The difficult (approximately 8.2 km), black route offers diverse landscapes for the hikers: forests, fields and water bodies. The route departs towards the north, circling clockwise around Lake Aulangonjärvi. The route passes by Aulanko Golf towards Aulangon Rauha which offers accommodation services on the north side of the lake. The trail continues for approximately one kilometre along a forest road, before turning onto an uncoated path, which is sometimes very wet and criss-crossed by roots. Not only does this path offer balance exercises, but it is also perfect for calming down, enjoying the sounds of nature and the lovely forest scents. Finally, the path returns to Lake Aulangonjärvi by Käärmekallio (Snake Rock), offering a wonderful view to the other side of Lake Aulangonjärvi and towards the Aulanko Lookout Tower. Käärmekalliot (the Snake Rocks) rise more than 30 metres above the surface of Lake Aulangonjärvi, which makes the descent to the lake shore slightly challenging. Before descending to the lake, it is worth grabbing some firewood from the shed located on top of the hill, as there is a campfire site at the bottom of the hill. The trail continues on duckboards along the path of Lake Aulangonjärvi (marked with yellow paint). There is a public beach in Kihtersuo on the eastern shore of the lake. The trail passes by Lusikanniemi, which has a jetty for swimming. An illuminated fitness trail leads to Karhuluola (Bear Cave), next to which a steep staircase consisting of 322 stone steps goes up to the Aulanko Lookout Tower. The fittest hikers eager to increase their heart rate can climb up the steps and admire the magnificent national landscapes before returning to the starting point. The trail provides a calming and relaxing nature experience, and it is also possible to do yoga exercises along the trail, following the instructions on the mobile application.
Good to know
To a great extent, the trail follows the path of Lake Aulangonjärvi. Hikers preferring a more straightforward route can follow the yellow paint marks instead. The trail can be easily combined with Aulanko’s attractions. Visitors hungry for challenges and keen on raising their heart rate can combine the trail with a visit to the lookout tower, which can be accessed by a staircase of 322 steep stone steps, located in the vicinity of Karhuluola (Bear Cave). The steps may be very slippery when it rains and during the winter. This slightly longer trail branches out from the path of Lake Aulangonjärvi deeper into the forest, which makes it perfect for a peaceful nature experience.
Located along the trail, the Aulanko Outdoor Recreation Centre offers services for hikers (swimming, café, a sauna for rent and sports equipment). Aulangon Rauha provides accommodation services and café Tornikahvila by the lookout tower can be accessed by stairs from Karhuluola (Bear Cave). Otherwise, there are no services along the trail, so it makes sense to pack some snacks. There is one campfire site near Käärmekallio (Snake Rock) on the shore of Lake Aulangonjärvi, and visitors can, for example, barbecue sausages by the Lapp hut located by the Outdoor Recreation Centre. It makes sense to bring matches or a lighter for setting up a campfire, but aside from that, regular camping equipment suffices. In the summer, swimming equipment is worth bringing, because there are various beautiful swimming spots along the trail. The DigiTrail mobile app teaches hikers how to do relaxing forest yoga exercises.
Level of difficulty
The difficult route takes approximately four hours. The trail is only 8 km long, but the terrain makes its challenging. To a great extent, the trail runs along a road and on duckboards, but a significant section in the north follows a forest path. The path can be muddy when it rains and the duckboards can be slippery. In this case, waterproof footwear is useful, although otherwise regular outdoor equipment suffices. Winter boots with a good grip are recommended for the trail in the winter.
To the start of the trail
The route starts from the Aulanko Outdoor Recreation Centre, which has plenty of free parking space. Aulanko is signposted from the Helsinki–Tampere highway (highway 3) and from the Turku–Lahti road (highway 10). The distance between Hämeenlinna Railway Station and the Outdoor Recreation Centre is 5,3 km by car (taxi rank in front of railway station) and 4,7 km on foot. An internal bus (line number 2) also runs to Hotel Aulanko from the railway station. Hotel Aulanko is located approximately 1.5 km from the trail’s starting point, the Aulanko Outdoor Recreation Centre.
TRAIL’S START AND END POINT: Aulanko Outdoor Recreation Centre, Linnanen 75, 13220 Hämeenlinna 61.028646, 24.462335
TRAIL MARKINGS: There are no route markings along the trail, but the path is easy to follow with the DigiTrail app.
TRAIL SUITABILITY: The trail is suitable for hikers in good physical shape, who enjoy longer hikes along challenging terrains and paths.