Muukonsaari rocky shores

The southern shore of Saimaa is bordered by the First Salpausselkä, which formed at the edge of the ancient continental ice sheet around 12,000 years ago. At that time, Muukonsaari lay underneath the surface of the Baltic ice lake, in front of the ice sheet. At the bottom of the ice lake, soil consisting of fine material formed in the depressions of Muukonsaari’s 1.9 billion-year-old rocky ridges, and emerged from underneath the water when the Baltic ice lake’s water levels fell suddenly around 11,600 years ago. The waves did not have time to wash away the soil, and consequently, Muukonsaari remains a nutritious habitat where lush vegetation thrives.

There is a nature trail through the grove area of Muukonsaari, along which you can learn more about linden trees and nut bushes, as well as the geology of the shoreline cliffs. Muukonsaari is a recreational site managed by the South Karelian Foundation for Recreation Areas.

Also read the story Pencils from the sky (pdf) made in the Rural Explorer project. The story takes place in the spring of 1918 near Muukonsaari. (Story: Pekka Vartiainen, Translation: Annira Silver)

Kuva: Kaisa-Maria Remes