Bear round
The Bear Tour ( Karhunkierros in Finnish ) is a 70 or 82 kilometer hiking route in northern Finland . Most of it runs in the Oulanka National Park .
The most famous sights of the national park are located along the bear trail . These include Ristikallio, the Oulanka Canyon on Oulankajoki and the Kiutaköngäs waterfalls.
The bear trail can be done all year round. In summer, you need four to six days to complete the entire circuit. In winter, depending on the snow conditions, significantly more time must be planned.
Huts, Laavus (simple shelters open on one side) and marked tent sites are ideal for overnight stays. The huts offer limited comfort, but are maintained by the national park administration. Sufficient firewood is available at the overnight places. There is a campsite near the visitor center with showers, more comfortable cooking facilities and rental cabins.
The bear circuit can be tackled from different starting points. The longest route with 82 kilometers starts in Hautajärvi and ends in Ruka or starts in Ruka and ends in Hautajärvi. Another route starts from a parking lot on road 950 between Käyla and Hautajärvi. At 70 kilometers, it is a little shorter than the longest route. For day tourists there is also the possibility to hike on the little bear trail ( Pieni Karhunkierros ). This begins and ends in Juuma .
The most popular time for hiking on the Bärenrunde is summer or autumn. You have to expect a lot of crowds in the huts and overnight places. In winter you should be prepared for very low temperatures. The temperature there can then drop to −40 ° C.
Huts
- Ristikallio: The hut at Ristikallio offers space for 10 people.
- Puikkokämppä: The hut is on the Salla Route and can accommodate 10 people.
- Taivalköngäs: This is where the Hautajärvi and Salla routes come together. The hut owes its name to the rapids of the same name.
- Savilampi: About 500 m from the Oulanka Canyon is the Savilampi hut (7 people).
- Ansakämppä hut: The first Ansakämppä hut burned down in the winter of 2002/2003. The new Ansakämppä was rebuilt about 1 km southeast. In the new hut, 20 people can find shelter.
- Jussinkämppä: 20 people can stay here.
- Siilastupa: Very close to the Jyrävä waterfall is the Siilastupa, which offers space for 12 people.
- Myllykoski: About 12 hikers find shelter in a restored mill.
- Porontimajoki: Two huts with space for 4 people each.
Attractions
- Ristikallio: Beautiful rocky landscape with two gorges
- Taivalköngäs: Two rapids that can be crossed on suspension bridges.
- Oulanka Canyon: rocky gorge on the Hautajärvi route
- Kiutaköngäs waterfall
- Jyrävä waterfall
- Myllykoski: A restored mill with picturesque rapids.
- Konttainen and Valtavaara: Range of hills that offer an excellent view of the otherwise flat landscape.
Places along the bear trail
literature
- Michael Hennemann: Finland: Bear Round , Outdoor Handbook - The way is the goal, Germany 2010 (Conrad Stein Verlag), ISBN 978-3-86686-085-8
Hiking maps
- 'Rukatunturi - Oulanka' scale 1: 40,000
Web links
- Website Ruka
- Description of the route ( PDF; 1.2 MB)
- Topo map of the Finnish state incl. POIs, track etc. of the bear round
Coordinates: 66 ° 9 '48.3 " N , 29 ° 7' 24.8" E