Pirunvaara - Kirkkokallio hiking trail 13 km, Kajaani Finland

START: a small coffee shop below the hotel, follow a wide gravel path next to the main road for 200m until you come to a crossing and underpass. From there, follow the brown signposts showing the hiking trail. Take the underpass and briefly turn right onto a tarmac footpath/cycle path but leave it immediately to the left onto a forest path. Follow this path for about 1.2 km until you meet a road again. After crossing the road, you reach the loop trail, which you can follow either to the right in the direction of Kirkokallio or to the left in the direction of Lohtaja. 

In this route description, take a right turn and follow the signs towards Kirkokallio until you reach a clearing. Turn left. Follow the path for 800 m until you reach an asphalt road with the next information point displaying a map. After crossing the road, the path continues along a small path into the forest (green signs).

After 600 m you reach the next crossing, where continue straight ahead, follow the signs to Pirunvaara. After 700 m you arrive at the next information point. At this crossing, you have the option of shortening the trail by going straight ahead or continuing to the right, where a beautiful view of Lake Oulujärvi awaits you, as well as a fireplace. The firewood is in a shelter 20 m behind the fireplace.

Numerous natural highlights await us on the next section of the hike.  As you hike  / bike along, the path becomes steeper and covered with various stone and rock formations. After a while, you reach another highlight: a passage with wooden sticks across the path. After 1.5 km you arrive at the last information point. From there turn back and return to Pirunvaara.

Once there, look for the signs to Kirkkokallio and continue for 1 km, following the green arrows. Next, you come to a crossing where  turn right towards Kirkkokallio. Three narrow bridges await afterwards, allowing us to cross the ditch. Now follows a small adventurous climb with many stones. After this, you are rewarded with an idyllic forest walk full of moss and interesting bush. Continue and follow the arrows until you reach a gravel path, where turn left. At the next sign, the path takes to the right. Soon, there is the road again, which you have to cross. Now just follow the signposts to get back to our starting point.