Tohmajärvi: River Routes and Cultural Heritage

Tohmajärvi offers a range of ways to explore: paddling routes, cultural and historical sites, and trails for various activities. Which of these matters for your travel plans also depends on whether you are looking for time by the water, insights into local history or outdoor exercise.

River, lakes and the Runon ja Rajan tie

The Jänisjoki River flows through Tohmajärvi. The river and connected lakes offer about 200 km of paddling routes in total. The river is also of interest to anglers, with numerous rapids and areas of flowing water. Rest areas along the banks are open to everyone spending time in nature.

The Runon ja Rajan tie offers a broader perspective. It is part of Via Karelia and Finland’s oldest tourist road. The route is 1,080 km long and follows Finland’s eastern border from the Gulf of Finland to Lapland. Tohmajärvi is one stop along this road, which has numerous historic sites and monuments. This connects the local perspective with a route that extends far beyond the municipality.

Cultural history and reasons to visit

Tohmajärvi Church was completed in 1756 and is considered the oldest wooden church in North Karelia. The Dolgorukin earthworks are also located on the slope of Kemie. They were more than a kilometre long and date from the Finnish War of 1808–1809.

Tohmajärvi Municipal Museum is housed in a two-storey carriage house or storehouse belonging to Gabriel Wallenius. The building was moved from Jouhkola Farm to Kemie in 1961. The museum grounds at Kirkkotie 14 include, among other things, the Nyman local history and pharmacy museum, Maiju Lassila’s home barn, a windmill and a farmhouse with a café. The Nyman House and its grounds feature permanent and temporary exhibitions. Visitor arrangements may vary by season; check opening hours in advance.

The Maiju Lassila Cultural Route passes 18 cultural sites and offers insights into the life of Algot Tietäväinen and the first decades of the municipality, founded in 1868. A recurring event is Potsipäivät: the municipal festival has been celebrated since 1974 in the week after Midsummer. It takes its name from the pig mentioned in Maiju Lassila’s book “Tulitikkuja lainaamassa”. The exact festival dates vary from year to year. If you would like to plan your trip around it, check the dates for your travel year.

Trails by length and activity

The Pekan Trail and Piilovaara Trail differ considerably in length and difficulty. The challenging Pekan Trail is 7.5 km long and is described as suitable for mountain biking and trail running in both directions; the elevation gain and loss is 265 m. The Piilovaara Trail is shorter at 3 km, rated easy and also suitable for beginners. It can also be travelled in both directions; the elevation difference is 101 m. These details help you compare the two trails by activity, length and stated difficulty.

Other trails offer different experiences. The approximately 6 km Kemie Nature Trail passes the nationally valuable Jalajanvaara grove and the Oravaara nature reserves. The Aconitum Loop, also about 6 km long, has 16 information boards. Its name recalls the rare northern monkshood (Aconitum septentrionale), the municipal flower of Tohmajärvi. The Akanpolku circles Siikajärvi for about 7.9 km, mainly along easy-to-walk village roads; there is a campfire site at the lake’s swimming beach. The Sorpanpolku, considered separately, is about 11 km long, lies in the southern villages of Tohmajärvi and is suitable for hiking and mountain biking.

Several trails can also be linked: the Pekan Trail, Piilovaara Trail and 5 km Kirkkoniemi Trail can be combined into one loop. Trail conditions and maintenance may vary seasonally. For a different kind of activity, there is an 18-hole disc golf course at the Tohmajärvi Sports Hall.

Winter routes

Tohmajärvi has dozens of well-maintained and marked snowmobile routes. They are part of the Keski-Karjala route network and include connections towards Ilomantsi and Joensuu. Winter conditions vary by season, so take this into account when planning.

Discover more destinations

Karhunmäki, Säyneinen, Mannervaara, Elomäki, Ilomantsi, Vanhahovi, Rääkkylä, Ahmovaara

For the overview of the wider region: North Karelia.