Fool's Hell

Last updated: 09.01.2024

Helvetinrotko is a handsome natural attraction located in Hämeenkoski. Helvetti probably got its wild name from the fact that it is always dark at the bottom of the deep gorge shaded by steep slopes and trees. Otherwise, the place does not live up to its name, but rather it could be characterized as a nature lover's paradise. At the bottom of the gorge flows a stream with clear water, which gets its water from springs. Ferns and old trees grow along the stream. Rotko is located along the medieval highway, Ylisen Viipurintie.

Rotko is the farm of Huljala Tupala, and nature and its diversity are cared for in the area in many ways. The most important of the treatment methods is the treatment of traditional biotopes. The area's traditional biotopes are maintained by Eastern Finland cattle grazing in the forest pastures of the Tupala farm. Both the forest pastures and the eastern Finnish cattle, i.e. kytos, are currently under threat. Most of the gorge is a fenced grazing area closed to visitors. 

Forest pasture, a traditional biotope, is a habitat type that was created and spread over time due to human settlement and the keeping of domestic animals. Grazing ruminants ate the vegetation they liked from the forest and meadows, creating environments suitable for numerous species. Butterflies and flowering plants especially benefited from the grazing, for which the widening of the landscape and the removal of the suffocating grass brought in more light and thus gave them a chance to live. Due to production efficiency requirements, forest grazing has almost completely stopped and as a result the traditional biotope is today the most endangered habitat type in Finland. Because of this, many organisms that depend on grazing have become rare, and their survival in our country depends on the conditions for the continuation of forest grazing. 

Origin

Arrival instructions

Helvetinrotko can be seen when you turn from highway 12 at the Kärkölä intersection in the direction of Kärkölä onto road no. 295 and immediately turn left up Vanhatie, along which the valley is located. The gorge can be viewed from the road. You should not go to the pasture area delimited by the electric shepherd's fence. You can learn more about Helvetinrotko and its stories during the farm's open days or by contacting the host of Tupala farm:

Laura and Mika Hämäläinen, tel. 040 097 8665 / 040 053 6614.

Huljalan Tupala 

Nature cannot be turned into a museum. Every day and every week this is different. Work is being done to ensure that this is as beautiful to the eye as possible and a versatile habitat for nature.

Huljalan Hellvetti, people hanging out
Image source: Visit Lahti, Huljalan Helveti kyttäja
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Forest pasture, a traditional biotope, is a habitat type that was created and spread over time due to human settlement and the keeping of domestic animals. Grazing ruminants ate the vegetation they liked from the forest and meadows, creating environments suitable for numerous species. Butterflies and flowering plants especially benefited from the grazing, for which the widening of the landscape and the removal of the suffocating grass brought in more light and thus gave them a chance to live. Due to production efficiency requirements, forest grazing has almost completely stopped and as a result the traditional biotope is today the most endangered habitat type in Finland. Because of this, many organisms that depend on grazing have become rare, and their survival in our country depends on the conditions for the continuation of forest grazing.

The forest is managed on the farm by, for example, burning. Scorching, or forest fire in the same way, changes the environment to suit certain types of organisms, pyrophiles. Over the decades, these have become rarer, as forest fires have decreased and extinguishing has become more efficient. 

In Tupala, you can buy the farm's own products. You can get to know the Tupala farm, the traditional biotopes and the kytto cattle on the Tupala farm website and on the open day.

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