To conquer Noitatunturi Fell, we first headed to the Pyhä-Luosto Visitor Centre Naava, to get a more detailed route and tips for the hike. We had come across a beautiful picture of Noitatunturi Fell, which inspired us to visit. Noitatunturi Fell is the highest peak in Pyhä-Luosto National Park, standing at 540 meters.
We hadn’t researched the route or its length beforehand, so we decided to ask for tips at Visitor Centre Naava. However, we knew it wasn’t just a short hike, so we packed plenty of snacks, as we always do when hiking. And what could be better than having snack breaks in the midst of nature?
The staff at Visitor Centre Naava gave us good tips and directions for the route, and we could leave our car in the parking lot there. From there, we started walking towards Noitatunturi. Pyhä-Luosto offers plenty of hiking trails, from short to long ones, so there’s a suitable route for hikers of all levels, promising beautiful mountain landscapes.
Normally, conquering Noitatunturi would be about a 14.5-kilometer hike, but due to renovation work on Uhriharju’s stairs, this added a bit to the distance as we had to detour at the end of Isokuru and return back. Altogether, our route ended up being about 18 kilometers. If you only want to visit Isokuru, it’s a 2-kilometer hike from Visitor Centre Naava to the beginning of the gorge, and the gorge itself is about a kilometer long.
Our first stop on the route was indeed Isokuru, which is Finland’s largest gorge. It’s 220 meters deep and looks very impressive with its rocky slopes. At the bottom of the gorge, there’s a wooden bridge leading to Pyhänkasteenlampi and the waterfall flowing into it.
From Isokuru, we continued towards Oravalampi. The route is a beautiful and easy-to-walk forest trail, but the closer you get to Noitatunturi, the more rocky the path becomes. Oravalampi has a lean-to shelter, making it a perfect spot for a snack break by the lake while enjoying the peaceful nature and beautiful scenery.
Towards the summit
From Oravalampi, the route starts ascending towards the summit of Noitatunturi. The path becomes very rocky and challenging to navigate. It might be challenging to spot the trail among the rocks, but by aiming towards the summit, the direction remains clear. Climbing upwards feels like scrambling on a giant pile of rocks 😅
The route is quite demanding, so it’s advisable to bring a spirited attitude and sturdy footwear. However, the trail is entirely passable with just basic fitness.
But all the effort is truly worth it; once you reach the top of Noitatunturi, the views are simply breathtaking! Perfectly serene panoramic views of the surrounding wilderness. We reached the summit at sunset, and it was wonderful to watch the sky turn a beautiful orange-red hue.
We enjoyed the summit views for a while before it was time to start the descent.
Return trail
The return journey follows the other side of Noitatunturi’s slope. This part of the route was much easier to follow, and there was no need to worry about whether we were going in the right direction. First, the path circles Annikinlampi, then continues towards Karhunjuomalampi. After the descent, the route goes through pleasant forest scenery and easy-to-walk trails. From the vicinity of Karhunjuomalampi, the normal Noitatunturi Fell trail passes through the Uhriharju stairs to Isokuru and from there back to Visitor Centre Naava. However, since the stairs were closed, we followed the last section of the Karhunjuomalampi trail, which leads towards Huttulaavu and through the northern ski slopes, circling around Hotel Pyhätunturi, and back to the Visitor Centre.
Noitatunturi is definitely worth conquering, and the stunning Lapland landscapes reward the climb uphill. It’s recommended to allocate about 6 hours for this route, and it can be completed with just basic fitness.
From Visitor Centre Naava, we then headed towards our campsite and bedtime. The next day, we went off to Lampivaara Amethyst Mine, which is also located in Pyhä-Luosto National Park.
