KAINUU OUTDOORS MAP

Kainuu Outdoors Map is a free map service provided by Kainuu Environmental Centre, the ten municipalities of Kainuu region, and the Joint Authority of Kainuu Region.

Kainuu Outdoors Map is the largest internet-based outdoors map service in Finland. The amount of sites and routes is huge, and this is the reason for the only weakness of the service: the map service needs a fast connection to internet. It is normal for the map service to take 20-40 seconds when launched. The map service loads all the information at the launch, and therefore it works more quickly after the initial launching.

The map service uses Java. If you don't have Java, you can download it from:

Windows/PC: http://www.infokartta.fi/j2re-1_4_2_10-windows-i586-p.exe

Mac: http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/java2se50release1.html

If you encounter problems with the technical properties of the map service, please contact Infokartta Oy, e-mail infokartta@infokartta.fi. Describe the problem, and tell also the browser, Java-version and operating system you are using.

HOW TO START?

There is a lot of information in Kainuu Outdoors Map, and many things can be done in many different ways. We describe the basic features here, but an advanced user will find more properties on his/her own.

1. Searching information by group menu

The rather long group menu, marked with a red arrow, can be shortened by Themes (if you are interested especially in a certain theme) and by Municipalities (if you are interested in the area of a certain municipality only).

The information in this map service is divided to groups, marked with a red arrow in the picture above. Inside each group there are 1…200 sites, routes or areas. If you are for example interested in wilderness huts, select group Wilderness huts.

Let's select for example Ala-Valkeinen hut. The red circle in the map indicates the location of the hut.

In the upper right-hand corner you can choose the scale of the map. This is the most precise scale.

When you select Ala-Valkeinen hut, an information box appears under the map. Not all of the information texts have been translated from Finnish into English, but we hope a sufficient amount has been translated. In some information boxes you'll find only the equipment there is on the site. In some information boxes you'll find much more info.

Often there is also a photo (click the camera symbol) of the site, but not in all routes or sites. The texts with the photos are only in Finnish so far, but one photo can say more than a thousand words…

2. Searching information by the map

You can search for information also by the map. For example in the surroundings of Ala-Valkeinen wilderness hut there are many interesting sites and routes, too.

There is exactly two kinds of information in the groups: spotlike sites, and not-spotlike routes and areas.

With the red shortcuts you can select spotlike sites on and off: Campfire sites, Lean-to shelters, and Other items, which includes all the other spotlike groups but not campfire sites and lean-to shelters. In the map above there are campfire sites and other items, but no lean-to shelters (grey, not possible to switch on). The upper two shortcuts change according to the theme selected.

Under the icon of two hikers you find all the non-spotlike sites, that is routes and areas. Also here the route and area groups, which are not present in the map above, are written in grey and they cannot be switched on. Let's switch campfire sites, other items and all the different routes on.

The red routes are ski tracks, blue ones are canoeing routes and green ones are hiking trails. In the Routes and areas box there are so many groups that the box continues under Browse. Another example on searching information by the map. Let's say you are interested in the area surrounding a cabin you have rented. Let the cabin be situated in the south-eastern part of Suomussalmi. Click on the Kainuu map around that area and switch on all the shortcuts.

Then let's switch on also all the routes and areas.

There is so much information in Kainuu outdoors map that you can put too much information to the map. By switching some shortcuts or routes/areas off, or by scaling the map to more precise scale you can keep the amount of information manageable.

When you take the mouse on a site, route or area, the name of the site/route/area appears on the map. An example on the map above: Sydänmaanaro, Natura 2000 network. The yellow i-sign behind the name means that there is an information box on the area/route/site. There are two ways to see the information box, A) click on the name of the area, or B) click on the i-sign. The selected area/route also changes to bold, and thus it is separated from the other areas/routes on the map.

There is a difference between A) and B), if there are many different route or area groups selected. If you click on text Sydänmaanaro, Natura 2000 network, only the Natura 2000 network will be left on the map, and under the map will open an information box on Sydänmaanaro area. This can sometimes be clarifying.

On the other hand, if you click on the yellow i-sign, all the route and area groups you had previously switched on, are still shown on the map, and under the map appears the information box of Sydänmaanaro area. This is useful, if you are interested in both the boundaries of areas and also in the different kinds of routes.

Moving on the map

You can move on the map by dragging. Left-click on the map, keep the mouse button pressed down and at the same time move in the desired direction. For moving longer distances the index map in the lower left-hand corner is useful.

If you just click, not drag, on the map, the map will center around the point you clicked on. On the most unprecise scale (all of Kainuu region shown), left-clicking the map results in both centering and also the scale moves one notch towards more precise.

Icon tools

Click the ?-icon, and you'll find the general help file provided by Infokartta Oy. In the help file there are also explanations for these useful icons.

A note on vocabulary and English language

The English in these pages is more Finglish than real English, but we hope it is understandable. Some explanations on certain words and terms:
-mire is a general term describing different types of swamps, bogs, marshes, wetlands and so on
-old-growth forest is the term scientists use to describe an old forest which is nearly in its natural state
-campfire sites, lean-to shelters, Lapp tent shelters, cooking shelters, day huts and wilderness huts are meant for everyone. Anyone may use them as long as he/she 1) understands that other people are also allowed to use the same site he/she is using, and 2) leaves the place clean after use.
-duckboard, or causeway, means that there are wooden planks over the wet places (on a marked summer trail)
-if in the name of a skiing track there is the Finnish word "retkilatu", that means that the track is not kept open all the winter. The "retkilatu" track will be open mostly in spring winter, and not all the time even then. However, the other skiing tracks, which means most of them by far, are kept in good condition for most of the winter. Snowstorms excluding, of course.

In Finland you usually get along with English. Many people, especially the younger generations, speak English. However, we cannot guarantee that in every telephone number given in this map service you will be served in English.

Useful information

o Jouni Laaksonen (ed.): Kainuun luontokohdeopas / Natural Attractions in Kainuu - A book that describes the best hiking destinations in Kainuu region. Published in 2005. Sold at local bookstores.
o outdoors.fi - Hiking destinations all over Finland, and also general information on hiking in Finland. A site maintained by Forest and Park Service.
o Wild North - Hunting tours, fishing tours, rental cabins etc.

Back to the front page of Kainuu outdoors map