Kapatuosia nature trail – 2,4 km

Sit down and let the quick pass by.

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

The Hollola parish is part of the Kastari-Hatsina-Kutajoki nationally valuable landscape area. The landscape is structured by the ridge that separates from Salpausselka and the views of Lake Vesijärvi. The village is framed by a balanced agricultural landscape, the openness of which is one of its most important features. In time, a wide agricultural landscape opened up to the east of the church, reaching as far as Pyhäniemi Manor.

Salpausselkä Geopark destination

Kapatuosia Castle Hill is a steep-sided ridge in the parish of Hollola formed by the flow of meltwater from the continental glacier about 12,000 years ago. Kapatuosia has a long and interesting history. 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 research in the area has found signs of wooden fortifications.

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

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

The Kastari-Hatsina-Kutajoki River in Hollola is a distinctive cultural landscape formed to the north of Salpausselkä. Its landscape is dominated by Salpausselkä and the associated ridges and rolling fields. A unique landmark in the area's cultural heritage is the Hollola church village with its medieval grey stone church. The Kapatuosia castle hill, which rises next to the church, offers a beautiful view of Lake Vesijärvi. 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 are also part of the national bird water protection program.

Ancient relics in Kapatuosi

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

Vesijärvi Foundation

Lake 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. Lake Vesijärvi flows into Lake South Päijänne via the Vääksynjoki River. The Vesijärvi Foundation operates in the area of ​​the city of Lahti, Hollola and Asikkala municipalities. This lake-rich region has over 200 lakes, the largest of which is Lake Vesijärvi. The Päijät-Häme Vesijärvi Foundation is a pioneer in water management and a strong example of the power of cooperation in working for biodiversity.