Metsäpirtti, Rental Hut

Location

• Eastern Finland, North Karelia Region, Municipality of Kontiolahti, Koli National Park 
• Metsäpirtti, coordinates: Euref-Fin (~ WGS84) lat: 63° 01.2175' lon: 29° 55.0513'  ETRS-TM35FIN: N: 6991200 E: 647639
• Herajärven rantatie 37d, 81269 Ahveninen

Hiking

A short offshoot path from the Herajärvi trail leads to Metsäpirtti. If you arrive by car, park on the esker near Lakkala hut (near junction 103) and walk 0.8 km to Metsäpirtti. Take the trail from junction 103 to Ukko-Koli for 0.5 km until you reach the junction with the metsäpirtti sign pointing to the left. Continue the path for another 0.3 km.

Driving Instructions

Via Koli village:
From Koli Nature Centre Ukko, drive downwards along Ylä-Kolintie Road for 2 km and turn right towards the Koli village. Distance from the Nature Centre to the Koli village is altogether 3,6 km. When you reach the village, turn right onto Merilänrannantie towards Loma-Koli and drive for roughly 1 km, then turn right onto Rantatie road and continue for another 1 km until you reach the harbor. After Koli Harbour, continue south along Rantatie and Vesivaarantie for roughly 18 km until you reach the Herajoki stream. Just before the Herajoki bridge, turn right onto Herajärven rantatie road. See the rest from below*.

Via Ahveninen:
Drive along the Romppalantie road, take the Herajoentie road (road sign reads "Herajoki"). After roughly 9 km, turn left onto Vesivaaratie road at the first crossroads (to the right, the road continues as Vaaralahdentie). Immediately after the Herajoki bridge, some 700 metres from the previous crossroads, turn left onto Herajärven rantatie road.

*Drive the Herajärvi coastal road for about four kilometres. Turn right at every junction. At the intersection of Seppälä hut, turn left following Honkapirtti's signpost. Drive through the courtyard to the forested ridge across the field. Continue along the road until you reach a path leading to the right (junction number 103) and see the sign pointing towards Metsäpirtti parking. From the parking area, continue walking to Metsäpirtti. See "Hiking" for instructions.

Maps

• Koli National Park map
• Excursionmap.fi
• Outdoor and servicemap of Koli 1:20 000 / 1:50 000
• Terrain map P534, 1:50 000

Price

2023
Prize group A (15.5.-12.6. and 29.8.-30.9.)
1st day 80 €
2nd–7th day 70 €
Prize group B (13.6.-28.8.)
1st day 90 €
2nd–7th day 80 €

2024
Prize group A (15.5.–9.6. and 26.8.–30.9.)
1st day 80 €
2nd–7th day 70 € 
Prize group B (10.6.–25.8.)
1st day 90 €
2nd–7th day 80 €

Rental time 14:00–12:00.
No reservations longer than one week at a time.

Keys

Keys to the rental hut are placed in the key box next to the door of the hut. The key box opens with a 4-digit key combination. As soon as you have booked the hut, you will receive a booking confirmation in your email. Check the confirmation's attached files, in which you will find the 4-digit key code and additional information (please also check your spam folder). Keep the information with you until the end of the reservation. If you have not gotten the key combination at least two weekdays before the beginning of your reservation, please contact Koli Nature Centre Ukko. 
 
When you arrive at the hut, enter the code in the box by rotating the numbers in the key box. Take the key from the box, unlock the hut, and put the key back in the box. Roll the numbers back to zero again. Always keep the keys inside the key box, so they won’t get lost or locked inside the hut. At the end of the reservation, leave the keys in the same box.

Facilities

• Visitors must bring enough drinking and domestic water to the hut. Water can also be carried from the nearby stream, the lake or Seppälä's well (about 1,5km/direction), but water must be boiled before drinking. Do not use the lake water, if you see marks of blue-green algae blooming (thl.fi). Drinking water from the nature is at your own risk. It is also possible get clean drinking water from Koli Nature Centre Ukko.
• Sleeping spots for 4 in bunk beds + mattresses, pillows, no linen.
• Oven, gas cooker.
• Hole in the ground with a cover.
• Sauna, a separate dry toilet, rowboat, a firewood shed and a campfire site. You can find a boat plug, oars and life jackets for four in the firewood shed storage. For the biowaste, there is a composter.
• Solar panel powered lights and charging facility (USB socket).
• Dishwashing liquid, spices, fire-making equipment and toilet paper are not included.

Notices

• Please check Koli National Park's What's New before arrival.
• There are no waste collection containers at the hut, and visitors are required to take their waste away from the terrain. Read more about litter-free hiking.
• You must carry the water to the sauna from the lake. The water tank of the sauna stove must be full of water when warming up the sauna. 
• Please do not use the lake water or swim in it, if you see marks of blue-green algae blooming (thl.fi). Metsähallitus is not held responsible for possible blue-green algae blooming.
• Do not wash up or wash yourself directly in a lake or a river or on top of a well, because this will cause water pollution, eutrophication and e.g. blue-green algae blooming. Use only biodegradable detergents and pour your washing water into the ground at a sufficient distance from the water body.
• There are no accessible services in the hut.
• Pets are permitted in the hut.
• There is no electricity at the hut.
• Camping in the yard is prohibited.
• Please note that in rainy weather and during low pressure, smoke will not exit the fireplaces properly. The fireplace may then smoke up the hut. It is a good idea to preheat the fireplace so that smoke exits properly. Check the heating instructions in the hut folder. Be prepared to wait some time while the hut warms up.
• Between the hut and the shore there is a steep slope. The lakeside is muddy and shallow.
• To ensure an undisturbed night's sleep, it is recommended to bring a mosquito net that fits over a sleeping bag.
• Safety on hiking

Maintenance and Management

General customer service, customer feedback and maintenance:
Metsähallitus, Parks & Wildlife Finland,
Koli Nature Centre Ukko, tel. int. +358 40 7732442.

Booking, payments, and cancellations:
Eräluvat.fi Customer Service (verkkokauppa.eraluvat.fi)