Hey!
APK will go hiking to Kurjenrahka national park during the weekend 4-6.10. (Fri-Sun). There are large swamps, some lakes, and forest in Kurjenrahka. Come and enjoy the beautiful autumn nature with us! The trip is free, but participants need to buy their own food and bus tickets.
We will leave from Kauppatori platform E3 on Friday the 4th at 16.55, with Föli bus number 21. We will hop off the bus at “Tortinmäentie” bus stop. Please be at the bus stop in good time!
On Friday we will walk about 5 km and spend the night at the Töykkälä laavu or nearby Töykkälä rental hut. On Saturday we will walk about 10 km from the shore of Lake Savojärvi along the Pukkipalo trail and spend the night at Lake Lakjärvi. On Sunday we will walk about 10 km along the Pukkipalo route to the bus stop called “Kurjenrahkan kansallispuisto”, from where a Föli bus departs back to Turku market square.
There is no place to get water on our route, or at our camp on Friday (except maybe swamp water, which you can drink at your own risk, prefarably after heating or filtering wth a water fliter), so we recommend taking a lot of water with you. On Saturday there will be a place to get water after 3 kilometers of walking. There is also a place for water near our second camp, but not at the camp, so water will need to be carried from there.
Participants will be divided into food groups before the hike, and the food groups will plan and buy their own food. We will send an example menu for the hike, that can bve used for inspiration.
Frost down to -5 is not impossible (check the weather forecast!), so take enough warm clothes with you on the hike. It’s good to have some different clothes for sleeping than for hiking, because sweaty clothes later become cold from the moisture.
APK has some gear that can be borrowed for the trip (place in a tent, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, trangia camping cooker). Let us know if you need something!
Sign up here (latest on Sunday 29th of September!): https://forms.office.com/e/CTmB1tVRtU
Packing list:
• Backpack + rain cover and/or belongings inside the backpack packed with waterproof bags
• Your retkipassi (trip/trekking pass), if you have one. If you do not already have one, you can ask the organizers for one on the trip.
• Warm and weatherproof clothing and a change of clothes (depending on the weather, for example: rain and windproof coat, 2-3 woolen shirts, t-shirt, beanie, gloves, waterproof trousers, trousers, long thermal underwear, woolen socks, thin socks and some clothes to change).
• Warm, waterproof and prefarably somewhat tall shoes, that are good for walking long distances (e.g rubber boots). Kurjenrahka National Park is mostly swamp and forest, so the trails might be wet.
• Camping cooker and the fuel for it
• Plate, eating utensils, mug and a dishbrush if you want
• Food
• Your own snacks
• Water bottle and/or thermos bottle and enough water (e.g 4 litres)
• Sitting pad (insulates from the cold, a foam sleeping pad can also sometimes be used for the same purpose)
• “Puukko” knife in sheath
• Matches, packed waterproofly (or lighter, tinderbox etc)
• A sleeping pad (R-value >3)
• Sleeping bag (comfort temperature max 0, packed waterproofly)
• Sleeping bag liner if you want
• Tent, hammock and/or tarp for overnighting.
• Towel and swimsuit (if you want)
• Shoes for the camp e.g. crocs (if you want)
• A few plastic bags for rubbish (if you plan to create rubbish) and wet belongings
• Toothbrush, toothpaste and other personal hygiene items and medication.
• Some basic medical/first aid stuff if you want (e.g blister plasters, painkillers, ankle stablizer)
• Toilet paper
• Headlamp or at least a flashlight, and replacement batteries for it
• A power bank in case you want to to charge your phone (or headlamp) during the trip.
• Compass
• If you wish, you can bring playing cards, a book or something else to do.
If you have any questions about the hike, please feel free to contact us.