At the almost completely flat landscape of the Finnish lake area, some little mountains suddenly give you a completely different perspective, like the view from the Koli mountains.
The Koli is a 347 m high mountain on Lake Pielinen in North Karelia. Despite its modest height, it rises significantly above the surroundings. The famous view from the top of Koli over the surrounding lake landscape is a national symbol in Finland.
From the parking below the visitor centre started our hike along the mountain where we reached first the Mäkkä and then walked to the summit of the Ukkokoli and back to the visitor centre. I used a GPS route from Wikiloc but you can also get maps there.
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| Strolling through the forest |
The Koli consists largely of white quartzite. It is a remnant of what was once a much larger mountain range. The mountains were abraded by the glacier masses during the Ice Age, so that the hardest rock forms ridges, while softer rocks were eroded. Large treeless rock surfaces on its top give it a very special character.
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| Fire wood for the hut and a fire place in the middle of the NP |
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| Lake Pielinen - the 5th largest lake in Finland |
What a day - what a hike !
