Paistjärvi

Address: Isoniementie , 18300 Heinola

At the Paistjärvi area, you can enjoy a real feel of wilderness and diverse nature less than 30 kilometres away from the town centre of Heinola. You can, for example, swim at a beautiful sandy beach or walk along a picturesque neck of land. The best-known attraction in the area is the magnificent Pirunkirkko rock formation. Other outdoor destinations in the area include the beautiful Kuijärvenharju ridge and Ketturiutta with its sandy beaches and a cooking shelter. Lake Sonnanen is known for its clear water and is popular with divers. Paistjärvi is an outdoor recreation area owned by Metsähallitus (Finland’s state-owned forest management enterprise) and it is one of the great sites in the Salpausselkä Geopark.

The Paistjärvi area has in total about nine kilometres of marked trails. The trails are mostly easy to walk, but the trail to Pirunkirkko has some challenging passages. Three campfire sites and one camping site are provided for visitors. There is no official, maintained swimming beach in the area, but the beaches are great for swimming. The lakes and ponds are also good for short rowboat and paddling excursions. Please observe the outdoor etiquette detailed at https://www.nationalparks.fi/hikinginfinland/visitorguidelines.

The Paistjärvi area is situated to the east of national road 5 (E75) in eastern Heinola. There is no public transport to the area. Visitors arriving by car can start exploring the area from the car parks at Lake Sonnanen (Sonnasentie, Heinola), Ketturiutta camping site and Lake Niinilampi (Pirunkirkko, Heinola). From the car park at Lake Sonnanen, you can also get to the starting points of trails to Ketturiutta and Kuijärvi isthmus.