I stayed at the Hotel Herkko again for my summer vacation. Im pleased to say that the standard is still as excellent in the quieter summer months as it was in the winter. I hiked for two days covering 37km from Taivalvaara to Kylmaluoma. There are shelters that you can use on route which are stocked with firewood for you to use on the designated fireplaces so you can cook your own food. It gives you a greater feeling of being part of the wilderness. You can also camp in these areas. The route is well marked with orange markers on the trees and signs are at certain points giving clear indication of which direction and distances. I didnt meet another hiker so no worries about it being too busy. The trail is a mixture of woodland path through silver birch, forest tracks through red pine, alongside lake edges and on duckboards through vast areas of swamp. The wildlife is abundant, small and large - from frogs to reindeer and all kinds of birds. Quite a challenging trail in as far... more