This time I go to Jääskelä nature trail.

You should find it from here: 62°11’08.0″N 25°52’46″E.

First I go to Haukkala spring to get nice refreshing clear water for my walk.

Jääskelä nature trail is about 17 km from Jyväskylä. You can travel with bike all the way.

Jääskelä trail is about 5 km long. You can cut half if you want. You can see in pictures “P-alue” sign half way.

Trail is quite hard to walk, many rocks and the cliff / mountain hill can be dangerous if ice, snow or even wet from rain.

There is lot of bilberry around. It is european blueberry, very healty and nice taste.

Also nice juniper with some berries. They also nice for spice for meat and smoked meat and fish.

There is still some spruce buds on the trees. You can make syrup or drink from them, but you need land owner permission to collect them.

In Jääskelä there is lot of different kind of forest. First half of the circle trail is at the side of motor high way, so you can sometime hear cars and traffic. Later half is peaceful and quiet.

You will also see “pirun pelto“, “devil’s field“, a place with many rock. Old times people said that even a devil couldn’t plow that. Later it is said that these are old shores after ice age.

There is also some wet places. Moisture and water means lot of mosquitos, so bring mosquito repellent with you or dress accordingly.

Also a nice forest stream that connects two lakes and some baby fish was in there.

Found also one baby gyromitra esculenta mushroom. Direct translate from finnish is “ear mushroom”. It is good for food, but deadly poisonous if not prepared, boiled and cooked right.

Remember in Finland you can pick things from ground, like berries, mushrooms and fallen tree branch, but you cannot take things from trees.

After halfway point (P-alue sign), there was old field that had grown over. There was still some ribes berries bushes along the way.

Also many arctic starflover blooming and some lily of the valley.

After halfway crossing the path goes trough moist area with some ponds and stream. Expect many mosquitoes in here in summer time.

After valley the trail goes up to the cliffs of Sammalistonkallio. Part of the stairs is broken sadly so be careful.

Here is small fire place and some nice view over lake Päijänne. You can also see Riihivuori ski center and factories in Säynätsalo and Lehtisaari.

Some trails and hiking places have fire places where you can make fire and make food. Always check if there is a warning for forest fires affected. This usually happens in summer time. Do not make fire if forest fire warning is effective in your area.

Also if not official hiking trail with designated fire place, ect. you need land owner’s permission to make open fire!

Use caution with portable camping gas stoves or trangia style alcohol burners. Hobo stove or stick burner is considered open flame in Finland.

On top of the cliff there is also guest book in mailbox. There is greetings from may 2010 to this day. Many described how they have survived mosquito inferno. I rested for moment and read all greetings.

There is visitor greeting from at least Germany, India, Greece, Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand,  Spain, China, Russia, Italy, Austria, Czech Republic and Luxembourg.

After cliff there is nice 1,3 km walk trough woods to offical fire place of the trail. You can also swim there and see birds.

Over 160 pictures this time. Please enjoy them many times.