The Häme Lynx Trail

The trail stretches over 250 kilometres through the scenic lake uplands of Häme. It passes through the areas of Hattula, Hämeenlinna, Loppi, Tammela and Riihimäki, linking together the region’s most important natural and cultural attractions. Parts of the trail also follow the historic Häme Ox Road, which dates back to the Viking Age.

Whether you are planning a relaxed day trip with family or a more challenging multi-day hike, the Häme Lynx Trail suits many kinds of outdoor activities. The trail is also well suited for trail running, and some sections are suitable for mountain biking.

You can hike the entire trail from end to end as a long-distance journey, or choose from several circular routes for shorter day trips.

The trail network was built between 2007 and 2010 as a cooperation project between the Regional Council of Häme, the Häme Nature Recreation Area Association and the municipalities where the trail runs. Its aim was to connect recreational and protected areas across three urban regions. The latest section between Hattula and Hämeenlinna was completed at the end of 2023, making the trail a continuous route.

Along the trail, you can experience the diverse nature of Häme: forests, wetlands, eskers of the Salpausselkä ridge, lakes, cliffs and meadows. Some of the best-known destinations along the route include Tenhola hillfort in Hattula, the Ahvenisto Nature Reserve in Hämeenlinna, Liesjärvi and Torronsuo National Parks, Saari Folk Park, and Riutta in Riihimäki.

Although the full trail is long, there are many shorter routes for day trips. Along the way, you will find plenty of rest areas, including lean-to shelters, campfire sites, picnic tables and swimming spots.

The trail is mostly well marked, but a map and a GPS device or smartphone are always helpful on longer connecting hikes. The connecting route of the Häme Lynx Trail is marked in the terrain with yellow blazes. The circular routes are marked with different colours. At the intersections of the trail network, there are green signs featuring the official Häme Lynx Trail logo.

The trail has plenty of lean-to shelters, campfire sites, picnic tables and swimming spots along the way. Overnight stays are possible in most terrain under Finland’s everyone’s rights. In national parks, camping is only allowed in designated areas. We recommend camping close to lean-to shelters and rest stops.

On long hikes, it is a good idea to carry a water filter or purification tablets. Not all lean-to shelters have firewood or water points.

When looking for a short route, dayhike or an easy hike, start with the short loop trails. You don’t need any specific outdoor gear with you. Just put on shoes, dress for the weather and enjoy!

The Häme Lake Uplands is one of the last true forest heartlands in southern Finland. It’s a vast, sparsely populated and largely wild landscape between the towns of Forssa, Hämeenlinna, Riihimäki and Karkkila. The scenery here is the work of the last Ice Age: the Salpausselkä end moraines, long esker ridges, and the lakes, bogs and waterways that formed between them together create an exceptionally rich and varied natural environment.

The region is characterised by sweeping pine heathlands, sun-dappled esker forests, and lush riparian woodlands along its lakes and rivers. It is also home to some of the most extensive pristine mires remaining in southern Finland, and the springs that emerge along the esker slopes feed the uppermost headwaters of the Kokemäenjoki, Karjaanjoki and Vantaanjoki river systems.

The Häme Lake Uplands is an irreplaceable core nature zone for the whole of southern Finland, an ecological corridor linking Liesjärvi and Torronsuo National Parks into a wider network that stretches east via Evo towards Lake Päijänne, south to the Nuuksio Uplands, and north into the sparsely settled southern reaches of Pirkanmaa. The Häme Lynx Trail takes you right into the heart of this extraordinary natural mosaic.