If you want to have a pleasant walk in the nature, sit near a campfire, watch wild animals or just enjoy some silence in the evening, you do not have to drive far. There are several enjoyable hiking areas with paths of different distances in the area around Oulu. Some of these paths lead through protected areas. This series of articles provides an introduction to nearby hiking areas and nature paths. 

Pilpasuo is a nature protection area and one of four Natura 2000 areas (network of the EU’s important nature protection areas) in the county of Oulu. It is the largest undrained mire to Oulu. The landscape of the nature protection area varies from forested sandy hills to swamps and mires in the lower sites. You can enjoy the landscape by taking a 7 km long trail through the area.

On the dry sites there is a path marked with green sticks with yellow tops. On the wet sites, the trail is on a wooden walkway to protect your feet from getting wet and the sensitive vegetation from being stepped on. From the parking lot, you follow the path to the right and soon come to a shelter with a fire place close to the swampy lake Pahalampi. Further on you come to a crossing. You can then decide if you want to walk only around the lake (approx. 1 km) or turn to the right to do the full trail.

When taking the longer route, you will arrive at another shelter at Pilpakangas from which there is a nice view over the large mire area. At this fire place there is also a spring on the edge of the mire with clean water for making your coffee at the campfire. In Finland, especially in the North, mires are very common, but only about one third of them remain untouched. The largest part of the mires is drained to increase forestry production, used for peat production or transformed into agricultural land. When draining mires, their richness of animal, insect and plant species decreases. Here in Pilpasuo you may still find different species of orchid and observe cranes and grouses. There is a variety of different mire types with their own vegetation and animal species.  Pilpasuo also consists of several different kinds of mire. The mire that can be seen from the shelter at Pilpakangas is mostly an Aapa mire. It is subject to flooding when the snow melts in spring and has a low surface. Different vegetation types form patches or lines going through the mire like a mosaic.

After Pilpakangas, the trail follows the site of the mire and finally leads right across the mire onto the hills of Ala-Korkiakangas. At the top of the hill there is an ancient stony beach that was at sea level approximately 6500 years ago.  In fact, during the last Ice Age (10,000 years’ ago), Finland was covered by a huge glacier. When it melted due to climate change, the sea covered large parts of the county of Oulu. After the glacier and its enormous weight disappeared, the land started rising – a process that is still ongoing today. The first land to rise out of the sea to form small islands were once the tops of the recent hills like the ancient beach of Ala-Korkiakangas. The trail leads you back to the parking lot through the hills and smaller mires.

Follow the Vaalantie road on the northern side of the Oulu river to Sanginsuu. After crossing the Sanginjoki river, take the first road to the left (sign: Pehkolanlampi, luontopolku = nature path). After about 1,5 km the road takes a sharp turn to the left, but you continue straight. The sign “luontopolku” is a bit hidden. You drive through a small golf area and then just follow the bumpy sandy road for about 2,4 km until the parking lot at the starting point of the nature path.

Something special to consider for the hiking trip? If you want to hike in the summer time and enjoy the view of cotton grass and the long summer light conditions, don’t forget your mosquito oil! Unfortunately, those little beasts like mires and lakes a lot. Long trousers, a long-sleeved shirt and a hat will help against the little vampires. Please also leave your high heels at home. Although the trail is in good condition, there may be some wet and muddy parts.