Kapatuosia nature trail – 2,4 km

Last updated: 15.07.2024

Sit down and let's hurry by

In the church village of Hollola, you dive hundreds of years back in time, but at the same time you can enjoy modern services. The milieu of a small area offers great subtleties and individual specialties. Time stands still in the scenery of Vesijärvi. Get moving and climb the Kapatuosia hill to enjoy the scenery. The journey along the Kapatuosia nature trail is guided by wooden posts with a picture of the observation tower.

Photo: Taneli Paavoseppä

The Hollola church area belongs to the nationally valuable landscape area of ​​Kastari-Hatsina-Kutajoki. The landscape is structured by the Harju branching out from Salpauselä and the views of Lake Vesijärvi. The village is surrounded by a balanced agricultural landscape, whose openness is one of its most important features. In time, a wide agricultural landscape opened up on the east side of the church, extending to the Pyhäniemi manor.

  • 2,4 km
  • Moderate route
  • Wooden posts with the image of a lookout tower as route markers
  • Observation tower (open in summer)
  • Gateway to nature
  • Salpauselkä Geopark
  • Beautiful landscapes
  • Historical cultural landscape
  • Antiquities

The route can be reached on foot, on foot, by bike or car, and by public transport.

  • Park in the marked area
  • Access to private areas is prohibited
  • Keep animals on a leash
  • Respect nature and those who walk there
  • Making fire in the area is prohibited
  • In an emergency, call 112
  • Enjoy nature and its purity

Salpauselkä Geopark destination  

Kapatuosia castle mountain is a steep slope in the church village of Harju Hollola, formed by the melting water flow of the continental glacier about 12 years ago. The history of Kapatuosia is long and interesting. Kapatuosia has apparently served as a castle hill from the Viking Age to the end of the Middle Ages. Along with many other interesting discoveries, archaeological investigations of the area have found signs of wooden equipment. 

Kapatuos was in use long before the Viking Age, and the oldest traces of human activity on this castle mountain date back to the Stone Age, 8000 years ago. During the Stone Age, the surface of the predecessor of the Baltic Sea was higher than it is today, and Kapatuosia castle mountain was an island. Most of the castle mountains in our country are rocky hills, but shaped by water in our landscape, a suitable place for the castle mountain has been found on a ridge layered by glacial rivers.

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The historic Church Village of Hollola 

Idyllic Country Landscapes invited us to stop for a while, while the golden fields rustled quietly in the warm summer wind

Marinella Himari, Kaikokaipuu blogger

The village surrounding Hollola's medieval church is worth a small day trip. In addition to the picturesque church, the small village has art, shopping places and nice lunch restaurants.

A nationally valuable landscape area 

Kastari-Hatsina-Kutajoki, located in Hollola, is a distinctive cultural landscape formed on the north side of I Salpausselkä. Its landscape is dominated by Salpauselkä and the associated ridges and rolling fields. The cultural heritage of the area is unique in the Hollola church village with its medieval gray stone churches. A beautiful view of Lake Vesijärvi opens up from the ridge that rises next to the church, Kapatuosia castle mountain. The area also has lakes and lake ridges of significant natural value, such as Kutajärvi and Vesijärvi Kirkonselkä, which are part of the Natura 2000 and Ramsar networks. Kutajärvi, Kirkonselkä and Sairakkalanjärvi also belong to the national bird water conservation program. 

Photo: Taneli Paavoseppä

Antiquities in Kapatuos

You can explore the archaeological finds of Kapatuosia in the Cultural Environment service window:  

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Vesijärvi Foundation 

Vesijärvi is located between the first and second Salpausselkä. It is irregular in shape and is divided into several basins separated by straits and shallows, the largest of which are Enonselkä, Kajaanselkä, Komonselkä and Laitialanselkä. Vesijärvi flows into Etelä Päijänte via Vääksynjoki. Vesijärvi Foundation operates in the area of ​​Lahti city, Hollola and Asikkala municipalities. This lake-rich region has more than 200 lakes, the largest of which is Lake Vesijärvi. The Lake Foundation of Päijät-Häme is a trendsetter in water management and a strong example of the power of cooperation in working for biodiversity.

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