Suonenjoki: Forest Trails, Art and Strawberry Tradition

Suonenjoki combines forest trails and lake scenery with exhibitions, a historical walking tour and a distinctive strawberry tradition. During your trip, you can choose between exploring the Lintharju area, art and local history, or a day of swimming at Iso Kaatro. Arriving by train also offers a clear point of reference: the station is in the town centre.

Forest trails, cycling routes and winter ski trails

In Lintharju, a 13-kilometre nature trail leads through the area, with information boards introducing its natural environment. The trails there are mostly easy paths through a sandy pine forest landscape. There are some greater changes in elevation on the slopes of the ridge. If you enjoy cycling, Lintharju also has mountain bike routes. The trail network includes, among others, the eight-kilometre Palolampi route, as well as routes to Onkilampi, 15 kilometres long, and Tolmuslampi, 18 kilometres long. These different route lengths help you choose a trail suited to your planned outing.

Another nature trail is the two-kilometre Sienipolku near Kyöpelinvuori. It introduces eleven mushroom species found in the area and follows an easy-to-walk path. This lets you combine a walk with a look at the mushroom species you may encounter there. For outdoor orientation, Lintharju also has five lean-to shelters: Alaparkin, Palolammen and Kukkuran, as well as the lower and upper Onkilampi shelters.

Cross-country skiing is another activity in Lintharju. The ski trails include a dog-friendly trail, and some are named after local skiing greats. If you choose when to travel based on the activity you want to enjoy, you can weigh up this winter option alongside the cycling and hiking trails without confusing the different types of routes.

Art, local history and distinctive buildings

In the centre of Suonenjoki, Kellarikalleria hosts changing art, craft and other exhibitions year-round in two exhibition halls. The local history museum, Kotiseutumuseo, focuses instead on tools and household items. It is housed in a former granary, built in 1891 as a storehouse for the parish. The building was later converted into a museum; the granary ceased operating in the 1950s.

To learn about local sights and historical events, take the central Suonenjoki heritage trail, Kotiseutukierros, which has 17 information boards. Another landmark building is Suonenjoki Church: it was designed by provincial architect Ferdinant Öhman and consecrated during Advent in 1865. Art lovers can find paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, poems, caricatures and stonework, as well as various collections dating from the 1950s to the present day, at the ITE-Aulis Local Heritage Museum in Herralanmäki.

The surrounding municipality is also home to the Kolikkoinmäen työläiskotimuseo workers’ museum in Kolikkoinmäki, a culturally and historically significant residential area for former sawmill workers. The museum is furnished in the style of the 1950s. The Kuivataipale Museum Canal is a distinct point of interest for those interested in technology and water engineering: its hand-operated lock is located on the isthmus between Paasvesi and Kuvansi. Kuvansi is part of the Vuoksi water system, while Paasvesi belongs to the Kymen water system.

A green addition to the town is Alppiruusupuisto Suonenjoki, a rhododendron park in a pine-dominated park at the intersection of Iisvedentie and Koulukatu. Suonenjoki also has a woodland disc golf course with 23 baskets, suitable for beginners and experienced players.

A day of swimming and strawberry tradition

Iso Kaatro is the town’s main and most popular swimming beach. The lake covers two square kilometres; the beach has changing rooms, two piers, a diving tower, a water slide and a designated shallow swimming area. These amenities make the beach a standalone option for a day by the water, alongside the trails and cultural stops on your trip.

A special local tradition is the Suonenjoen Mansikkakarnevaalit (Suonenjoki Strawberry Carnival). Held since 1970, it traditionally begins with a carnival parade through the streets of Suonenjoki. There have been three years without the event: 1984, 2003 and 2020. At the Mansikkakarnevaalit, strawberries are offered in many forms each year at the market square: as milkshakes, strawberry milk, jam, purée and juice, as well as in cakes and pastries, and fresh. The festival thus combines a parade with strawberry treats; the years when it was not held are also part of its history.

Getting here and other places

Suonenjoki railway station is in the town centre. Passenger trains stop there on the Savonia railway line between Helsinki and Kuopio, continuing in both directions. If travelling by train is important to you, the station in the town centre provides a useful point of reference when choosing accommodation.

More places to discover: Juankoski, Syvärinpää, Kaavi, Maaninka, Rautavaara, Kiuruvesi, Vesanto and Hiltulanlahti.

For the broader travel overview: North Savo.