Services in Päijänne National Park

Customer Service and Guidance

Päijännetalo (Asikkala´s Fishing and Cultural Centre) (www.paijannetalo.net) is located in the municipality of Asikkala, near Vääksy canal.
The exhibitions display the history of fishing, the great Lake Päijänne and the National Park.
• Guided tours to Kelvenne Island are organised during the summer on Tuesdays. Reservations need to be made beforehand at Päijännetalo, tel.int. +358 3888 6680.
• Häme Visitor Centre answers questions about Päijänne National Park round the year.

Services Offered by Enterprises and Organisations in the National Park

• Enterprises and organisations offering services in the national park
  • They have a cooperation agreement with Metsähallitus and they follow the principles of sustainable nature tourism when operating in the national park.

Meals, where to buy and prepare

Shops, Kiosks, Cafés and Restaurants

• In the centre of the municipality of
Padasjoki (www.padasjoki.fi, in Finnish), there are shops 2 km away from the guest harbour.
• At Padasjoki Guest Harbour, there is a summer shop, a restaurant, a cafe and a barbeque shelter of a summer restaurant.
• At Pulkkilanharju Ridge, there is a kiosk nearby the bridge at Karisalmi Strait. It is open during the summer.
• All basic services can be found in the village of Vääksy in the municipality of Asikkala (www.asikkala.fi, in Finnish), and in the municipality of Sysmä (www.sysma.fi).

Campfire Sites

There are 17 campfire sites in the National Park. The facilities of the campfire site include a constructed place for the campfire, an axe, a saw, a firewood shelter and a dry toilet.

• The campfire sites are located on Iso Lammassaari, Vähä-Haukkasalo, Lietsaari, Höysniemi, Pitkäniemi, Tupasaari, Hietasaari, Päijätsalo, Paatsalo and on Kelvenne Island at Likolahti, Isohieta, Karhunkämmen, Koukunlahti, Nimetön, Kyyränlahti, Hinttolanhiekka and Kirkkosalmi.
Please note that lighting campfires is also forbidden at campfires sites when the forest fire warning is in effect.
• More information about lighting campfires can be found at Hiking in Finland.

Drinking Water

• There is drinking water available in Padasjoki Guest Harbour, and in the guest harbours of Vääksy and Sysmä. In the southern part of Lake Päijänne, it is said that the water tastes very good. The quality of the water in the southern part is excellent, and it is therefore suitable for drinking.
  • However, all surface water, such as water from lakes, rivers and brooks, should be boiled before drinking, as the quality of the water can change.
  • Look at the tips for outdoors drinking water in Hiking in Finland -pages.

Waste Management

• There are no waste-bins in the National Park, except the recycling points. Measures should be taken in advance to avoid taking unnecessary waste into the area. Of the waste that accumulates during your trip, you can use campfire sites to burn those articles which can safely be burnt, and leave biodegradable waste in the dry toilets. Take all other waste out of the area. Read more about
Hiking without Littering.
• The recycling points are located at Hinttolanhiekka, Karhunkämmen, Koukunlahti, Isohieta, Likolahti and Hietasaari.

Toilets

• Padasjoki Guest Harbour (in the summer shop and the restaurant)
• Pulkkilanharju (Restaurant Reimari, Karisalmi parking area)
• Service station Tankkausmajakka in Vääksy
• Sysmä Guest Harbour
• There are dry toilets at all the campfire sites and camping sites in the National Park.

Overnight Stays

Camping and Lean-to Shelters

• There are also lean-to shelters on Iso Lammassaari Island and in Pitkäniemi on Virmailansaari Island.
• The camping sites of the National Park are at Iso Lammassaari, Pitkäniemi, Hietasaari, and on Kelvenne Island at Isohieta, Nimetön and Hinttolanhiekka.
  • The facilities of the camping site include a constructed place for the campfire, an axe, a saw, a firewood shelter and a dry toilet.

Lodging in the Surrounding Area

• In the municipality of
Padasjoki (www.padasjoki.fi, in Finnish), there are many accommodation options nearby Lake Päijänne.
• In the municipality of Asikkala, more information on accommodation options can be found in
Asikkala Internet pages (www.asikkala.fi, in Finnish).
• In the municipality of
Sysmä (www.sysma.fi), there are good accommodation possibilities in the immediate vicinity of the guest harbour.
• The guest harbours are located in Padasjoki, Sysmä and Vääksy.

Equipment Rental

• Canoes can be hired at:
  • Meola Oy (www.meola.fi, in Finnish)

Services for the Disabled

Päijännetalo (www.paijannetalo.net) in Vääksy is easily accessible for the disabled. In the National Park area, there are no special services for the disabled.

Services for the Boaters

Routes

All the routes are 2,4 metres deep, except a short section southeast of Kelvenne Island, which is 1,8 metres deep. The routes go by all the islands of the National Park.

Guest Stages, Excursion and Guest Harbours

The coordinates are given using the WGS-84 Coordinate System. Blue nautical charts are always drawn using the WGS-84 Coordinate System, while green nautical charts are still drawn using the Finnish national KKJ Coordinate System. For more information on nautical charts see the Finnish Maritime Administration boating website (www.fma.fi).

Reimari, guest stage 61°16,0' 25°31,3'
• On the both sides of Pulkkilanharju there are landing places, on the eastern side buoys, on the western side with an anchor to a dock.
• Restaurant, summer shop, boat ramp which is sometimes closed with a chain.
Karisalmi, guest stage 61°17,6' 25°32,1'
• East of Karisalmi Bridge (11 m high), kiosk
Lietsaari, excursion harbour 61°22,1' 25°24,7'
• Shallow, fine sandy shores
• On the northern side landing is possible with 0,6 - 0,7 metres draught.
Padasjoki, guest harbour 61°21,7' 25°17,8'
• In the end of a route, shaft mooring berth
• Shop, telephone, waste management, suction draining, toilet, sauna, shower, drinking water, swimming place, café-restaurant.
• To the centre of the municipality of Padasjoki 2 km.
• Concrete boat ramp
• Fuel (98E, 95E, fuel oil).
• Weather station where it is possible to check the weather and the forecast.
Vähä-Haukkasalo, excursion harbour 61°22,1' 25°21,3'
• Campfire site, toilet, no waste management
Iso Lammassaari, excursion harbour 61°23,3' 25°20,9'
• Campfire site, toilet, no waste management
Kelvenne, Kirkkosalmi, excursion harbour 61°19,7' 25°27,1'
• Sandy shore, campfire site, toilet, no waste management
Kelvenne, Hinttolan hiekat, excursion harbour 61°20,4' 25°28,3'
• Sandy shore on the eastern side, camping allowed, campfire place, toilet.
Kelvenne, Kyyränlahti, excursion harbour 61°21,1' 25°27,2'
• Sandy shore on the western side, campfire place, toilet, no waste management.
Kelvenne, Nimetön, excursion harbour 61°21,8' 25°27,2'
• For shallow boats (< 0,7 metres draught) and canoeists, narrow route
• Sandy shore, camping allowed, campfire place, toilet, no waste management.
Kelvenne, Koukunlahti, excursion harbour 61°22,3' 25°27,2'
• Deep bay on the eastern side, there is a rock on the mouth of the bay on the northern side.
• Gravel shored which steeply get deeper, campfire place, toilet.
Kelvenne, Karhunkämmen, excursion harbour 61°22,7' 25°27,3'
• Deep lagoon, where landing is also possible with a keel boat.
• Incoming route narrow, drive along the shore at about 10 metres distance, between the shore and the rock. The location of the rock is often marked.
• Constructed place for the campfire, toilet.
Kelvenne, Isohieta, excursion harbour 61°23,1' 25°27,0'
• Shallow sandy shore, constructed place for the campfire, toilet, camping allowed
Kelvenne, Likolahti, excursion harbour 61°23,7' 25°26,8'
• Sandy shore, constructed place for the campfire, toilet.
Paatsalo, excursion harbour 61°24,0' 25°31,6'
• Constructed place for the campfire, toilet, no waste management.
Höysniemi, excursion harbour 61°23,9' 25°24,2'
• Constructed place for the campfire, toilet, no waste management.
Pitkäniemi, excursion harbour 61°22,9' 25°25,3'
• Very rocky shores, suitable primarily for canoeist.
• Constructed place for the campfire, lean-to shelter, toilet, no waste management.
Hietasaari, excursion harbour 61°24,7' 25°26,4'
• Sandy shores, constructed place for the campfire, toilet, camping allowed.
Tupasaari, excursion harbour 61°25,1' 25°26,8'
• Constructed place for the campfire, toilet, no waste management.
Päijätsalo, excursion harbour 61°28,9' 25°33,7'
Beware of the rocks!
• Constructed place for the campfire, toilet, scenic lookout tower.
• Sysmä, guest harbour 61°30,0' 25°41,5'
  
  • Guest stage north of the pier.
  • Kiosk which sells food stuffs, shop, waste management, shower, sauna.
  • Swimming place nearby the harbour, on the eastern side.
  • About 0,5 km to the centre of Sysmä.
  • Fuel for boats has to be carried from a service station nearby.
  • Concrete boat ramp.
  • Accommodation services next to the harbour.

Other Services in the Surrounding Area

• All the necessary services can be found in Padasjoki, in Vääksy in the municipality of Asikkala, and in Sysmä.
• There is a
pharmacy in the centre of Padasjoki, in the village of Vääksy and in the centre of Sysmä.
Fuel can be got by the boat in Padasjoki and in Vääksy. In Sysmä, fuel for boats has to be carried from a service station nearby.
• Fishing permits for the area can be bought for example in Padasjoki in the summer shop at the boat traffic dock, and in Vääksy in Tankkausmajakka service station.