"Savotta Gravel Loop is 478km and 5-7 day route in southeast Lapland, which links together the old logging (savotta) cabins and saunas on some old logging roads with visits to the gates of Salla National Park and Pyhä-Luosto National park. Combining the wilderness saunas with some great services in the villages and towns of the area, the route could be paced to finish all the riding days with a sauna. The route starts from the Kemijärvi railway station and links together the villages of Pyhä, Pelkosenniemi, Savukoski and Salla, making the route very easy logistically despite some long and remote sections between the villages. The route is yet another unique and pleasant one week route in the Eastern Lapland area offering a mix of great services, splendid riding, national parks, traditional wilderness shelters and saunas, high-quality camping and glimpses of the 100-year-old Lappish logging culture."
We rode the route in 4 days with my friend Riku. I had my trusty Ricoh GR3x with me. The camera is perfect for this kind of thing. Just taking photos from your bike quickly and without no hassle. Great time riding in a quite mixed terrain and surfaces and getting to know the forestry history of Finnish Lapland.
You can check more information of this route or other Bikepacking routes around Finland from here www.bikeland.fi
Below some photos from each of the riding days.
DAY 1 Kemijärvi - Salla 105,4 km
DAY 2 Salla - Savukoski 148,1 km
DAY 3 Savukoski - Pyhätunturi 107,5 km
DAY 4 Pyhätunturi - Kemijärvi 91,01 km
