Kirjailijan kannoilla - cultural cycling 8 km, Sotkamo

The distance between the start and end points of the described route is eight kilometers. Cycling from Katinkulta, the total distance is 23 kilometers, and from the Vuokatti Sports Institute area, 18 kilometers. You can reserve an hour or an hour and a half for the route, but many stopping points along the way easily extend the travel time.

ROUTE: – Kainuuntie 0.5 km – Akkoniementie 0.6 km – Saaritie 1.5 km – Savitie 0.2 km – Pirttijärventie 0.1 km – Siltapolku 0.5 km – Salmelantie 0.5 km – Kainuuntie 0.8 km – Rauhantie 1.2 km – Niemeläntie 0.3 km – Niemelä's yard 0.1 km – Keskuskatu 0.3 km – Kainuuntie 0.3 km – Hermanninpolku 0.1 km – Urheilukatu 0.1 km – Tervetie 0.1 km – Hiukka – Tervatie 0.1 km – Urheilukatu 0.2 km – Kainuuntie 0.5 km – Hirvensaari 

CULTURAL CYCLING SITES

a) Havukka-aho’s Thinker sculpture – In Hirvensaari, near the church village, stands the sculpture Havukka-aho’s Thinker by artist Nina Terno, completed in 1989, dedicated to the works of Sotkamo author Veikko Huovinen. “Man here in this space has the privileges of a dung beetle.”

b) Aatos’s parsonage – The house was built in 1924 initially as the constable’s residence but was sold to the parish in 1941 as a parsonage. Today, the building is owned by Sotkamo municipality and used by the adult education center and cultural services. The house hosts summer art exhibitions, among other events.

c) Akkoniemi and Siltasaari – Early in its history, Sotkamo was located at the intersection of two important routes. A busy Viena route ran east to west through the area, and at Sotkamo’s Pirttijärvi, it joined a significant Karelian main road crossing the Pielinen region extending to Karelia by Lake Ladoga. Prehistoric artifacts and dwellings have been found at Kiikarusniemi and Ammonsaari on the lake shores.

d) Salmela’s suspension bridge – The landscape south of the bridge was very familiar to writer Huovinen as his home was nearby on Konstankuja. This southern bay of Pirttijärvi was once the center of Sotkamo, reachable by steamboat from Kajaani already in the 19th century.

e) Salmela School – The local exercise areas on the school premises are open for everyone. The area includes a multipurpose arena, play and climbing equipment, swings, a frisbee golf course, and a large sand artificial turf field. 

f) Church and old cemetery – Sotkamo became its own parish in 1647. The current largest church in Kainuu, designed by architect Oldenburg, was consecrated in 1871. It is the fifth church in the parish area. Around the church is the old cemetery, used until the 1840s.

g) Sotkamo Warehouse Museum – located in the former crown warehouse building. The museum, opened in 1951, showcases Sotkamo’s history starting from prehistoric times. The adjacent parish warehouse serves as the museum’s storage and is the only warehouse building in Kainuu preserved in its original form. The museum is open during the summer months.

h) Cemeteries and Orthodox church – The Lutheran parish cemetery was opened in 1847. On the right side of the road leading to the cemetery lies a nearly heroic grave. At the eastern end of the chapel is a memorial for those who died of hunger during the 1867–68 famine. Author Veikko Huovinen is also buried here. The Kajaani Orthodox parish church in Sotkamo was built in 1961 and consecrated in 1986. The sanctuary was designed by architect Teuvo Alapeus.

i) Niemelä’s house, Huovishuone – The building houses the Sotkamo branch of Kuhmo Music Institute and author Veikko Huovinen’s study. The study was relocated with its furniture and books from Konstankuja a couple hundred meters away and arranged in its original form. The study is open in summer, maintained by the author’s namesake society.

j) Tikkanen Guesthouse – In 1893, the baker-merchant couple Tikkanen built the first accommodation building for tourists next to their commercial building. The current lodge shape was achieved in 1922. The busiest periods of the guesthouse were in the 1930s when especially skiing tourists truly discovered Sotkamo.

k) Market square surroundings – Sotkamo’s historical miniature model of the church village from 1939 is on display in the upper floor of Johanneksenkulma in Sotkamo center, at the craft shop of the locals.

l) Keskuskenttä (Central Field) – Like most people from Sotkamo, writer Huovinen was a passionate pesäpallo (Finnish baseball) follower. Sotkamo Jymy has dominated the national game since the 1990s with distinction.

m) Hiukka; beach, Hiukanhovi / Tulikettu, nature trail – Hiukka beach was advertised as the Riviera of Kainuu in the 1930s. It is considered one of the best in Finland. The beach includes a playground, beach volleyball court, and tennis courts. On the ridge are the Tulikettu hotel and the old Hiukanhovi. Tulikettu was also an idea of Konsta Pylkkänen. The first observation tower on Hiukka ridge was built in 1911 by the local tourist association. The tower no longer exists but the area features a pleasant nature trail.