Loketo onkalo cave is a mysterious, approx. 70 m long gorge shaded by rock walls near Pistohiekka Resort. The starting point for the route is at address Honkajoentie 510 (at the southern end of Saarijärvi lake), where there is a parking lot and a Saimaa Geopark signboard. The path is approx. 1.5 km long and you can go around it through the gorge to the rocky hill, where you can have a little break. The route is partly difficult due to the ladders and the path running on the rocky slope (supported by a rope rail).
Loketon onkalo is one of Puumala's Saimaa Geopark geosites.
You can reach the place by car or by bike for example from Pistohiekka or Sahanlahti Resort.
If you need a nature guide, please contact Guide Tiina.
Geological information:
Loketon onkalo is a northwest-southeast running channel eroded by meltwater of the continental ice sheet, in the fragmented bedrock’s zones of weakness. The channel is bordered by small rocky scarps; a scarp on the southwest side also has a ledge, which, along with the gorge, has acted as a hiding spot for locals during the war years. A marked path leads to the gorge from a nearby road, which leads to the lookout point on the adjacent rocky hill. There are also small boulder caves to the south of the gorge.
Near the path’s starting point, on the edge of the parking area, is the Saimaa Geopark sign, which tells about the geology of the area.
Saimaa Geopark sign at the Loketononkalo car park (pdf)
Route description of the Loketononkalo path and instructions for arrival
You can also find information about the Loketononkalo recreation spot here
Coordinates: x=555904,358 y=6829627,769 (ETRS-TM35FIN)
The above coordinates are working in GPS-devices and for example in karttapaikka.fi service.
The below coordinates are working in Google maps service, which uses geographic coordinates:
Coordinates: 61.596001878, 28.053450031 (ETRS89 maantieteelliset(~WGS84))