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Into the Wild by Bike
The top of Iso-Syöte fell is the perfect start to a day’s mountain biking, surrounded by this beautiful rugged landscape.
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As well as the traditional trails, Iso-Syöte also offers scope for doing your own thing, so long as you remember to respect the rules of the national park.
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Extensive boggy areas offer a great challenge for the off-road cyclist.
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Iso-Syöte’s trails are clearly marked.
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Cyclists often encounter the 'indigenous population'.
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Anninkoski can also be crossed the traditional way. Bike over your shoulder and boots in your rucksack.
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Iso-Syöte’s trails are best suited to people who have already done a fair bit of mountain biking.
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The unmade road leading down from the Hotel Iso-Syöte offers a chance for some speed… not to mention flying through the air.
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The paths at Iso-Syöte are stony, challenging enough terrain even for more experienced cyclists.
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Besides traditional forest trails, there are also more urban routes.
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The peace and quiet of the countryside as far as the eye can see.
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Into the Wild by Bike
Pudasjärvi, on the border between Lapland and the Finnish Lakeland, is where you will find Finland’s southernmost fells, Iso-Syöte and Pikku-Syöte.
From here it is still another 150 kilometres to the Arctic Circle, where Lapland “officially” begins. Syöte, which means ”blessed” in the ancient Sami language, is mainly known as the ski resort in Finland with the highest snowfall. It is also the destination attracting an increasing amount of summer tourists every year, partly thanks to its excellent mountain biking terrain.
Varied routes
Syöte’s mountain biking trails are suitable for everyone – as long as you are prepared to carry your bike across streams and up the steepest hills. You’ll get the most out of the trails, however, if you’ve already got the mountain biking bug. There are plenty of gradients and the terrain varies from bare rock and undulating sandy ground to ancient spruce forests with tree roots and gravel ridges – perfect for taking it to the max. And, of course, in the fells there’s always the chance to freewheel downhill, so long as your bike’s suspension can take it and you’ve got the nerve.
Boggy ground
Marshland is one characteristic of the Syöte area. A quarter of the national park’s surface area is marsh, swamp or bog of various types, even on hills over 300 metres above sea level. Crossing the swamps on duckboards adds an extra touch of excitement to cycling through this spectacular scenery. You won’t find anything on the same scale anywhere else in Finland.
80 km by pedal power
The rugged landscape of the Syöte National Park contains almost 80 kilometres of mountain bike routes. There are three main trails: 17 km, 25 km and 36 km in length. They are easy to follow as the route is marked on trees in pink paint and there are several places to take a break along the way. All three are interlinked so route plans can remain flexible, so just go with the flow.
Lapland
In just a few minutes, you can leave behind the hustle and bustle of a ski resort or a city and arrive in the peace and quiet of the wilderness. All children (and young-at-heart) know that Santa Claus lives in Finnish Lapland, where you can meet him in person.
This information is financed by the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY) for the Häme region.
