Metsäkartano 

Background and location

Metsäkartano is situated in the midst of uninhabited wilderness in the borderland of Savonia, Kainuu and North Karelia, at the very tip of the cape of Lake Ylä-Keyritty in the vicinity of Tiilikka National Park. In addition to holidaymakers and nature lovers, also companies, organisations, schools and organizers of family celebrations come to Metsäkartano to collect experiences and recharge their batteries. Metsäkartano has functioned as a national youth centre since 1983.
 
Services

Metsäkartano offers accommodation in the two buildings of its Wilderness Hotel which have altogether 29 rooms + a wilderness suite. The rooms entail a toilet/shower, a radio and a telephone (and beds for 87-91 persons). Furthermore, the area includes the building Metsäpirtti with beds for 22 persons, own living room, a well-equipped kitchen and sauna facilities. An authentic logging site cabin Metsäkämppä with 26 beds is located 1,5 kilometres from the main building. Next to the cabin lies a logging site sauna, which offers the best sauna steam in the entire region. The five holiday cabins in Marjamaa provide the guests with the most recent accommodation facilities with beds for 48 persons in well-equipped, spacious rooms. In addition, when there is no snow you may take lodgings at a peaceful, three-star camping site which provides accommodation with electricity for 45 caravans.

The well-known traditional home-cooked meals with a fresh salad buffet, tailor-made according to the customer’s wishes have been included in the services of Metsäkartano from the start. The professional cooks use fresh ingredients of the highest quality gathered from the neighbouring areas to as high a degree as possible. The nutritional use of ingredients as well as different diets and allergies are taken into account when preparing the meals. We recommend that you enjoy your meal unhurriedly without any rush, either in our moody dining room, in the living room of the authentic logging site cabin, in the peat hut or e.g. in the regular hut.

Also, cosy conference rooms with great acoustics and functional meeting arrangements are available at Metsäkartano. There are altogether 9 conference rooms of which the biggest one has seats for 286 persons and the smallest one has room for ten. The rooms are equipped with overhead projectors, flap boards and wide screen television projectors. In addition to the conference rooms, the area includes various facilities meant for group work.

Savotta is a building designed for different activities with a gymnastics hall called Voikka (13 x 22m) (e.g. floorball, badminton, volleyball, sitting volleyball, fun bowling alley, gymstick exercise and archery during winter time). Due to its beautiful architecture, the hall is suitable for conferences, product demonstrations and concerts (great acoustics). Voima is a versatile gym designed for athletes and other persons interested in physical exercise with basic fitness equipment, e.g. an exercise bike, a rowing machine, dumbbells, and a massage table. A fitness test overseen by professionals is also available to order. The studio/chapel is a perfect location for art exhibitions, marriage ceremonies and devotional services. The chapel is also a good place for composing oneself and it offers personal space for confirmands. The other facilities of Savotta include the ceramic workshop Vaasi, the darkroom Vilmi for photographers, the arts and crafts room Vasu, the carpentry workshop Vuolu, the bone workshop Viila, the music room Viulu, the lobby Valo and the bar Sanni (for evening gatherings and Christmas parties, includes a dance floor and a view of the starlit sky).

The area has altogether 25 kilometres worth of ski tracks of which 6 kilometres are lid. In the summer, the same track functions as a comfortable sawdust track. In the summer, the area also contains a child-friendly natural bathing beach, a domestic animal zoo and a play ground. You may enjoy hot sauna steam in the small and big lakeside saunas of Justeeri and Pirtti, as well as in an authentic logging site sauna called Kämppä. A diversified selection of equipment is available for rent at Metsäkartano: rowing boats, canoes, kayaks, a church boat to order, mountain bikes, backpacks, tents, stove tents, sleeping bags, sleeping mats, skiing equipment, backcountry skis, kick sleds, snowshoes and ice fishing rods.

Metsäkartano offers you nature-related experiences all year round with an excellent price-quality ratio. In the winter and spring, you may try cross-country skiing (also in unbroken snow), winter fishing, snowshoe walking, sleigh rides, husky tours or building a snowman. In the summer, many of our activities are closely linked with water because the Youth Centre is situated in the cape of the peaceful Lake Ylä-Keyritty (motorboats prohibited). The activities entail e.g. paddling and rowing trips, a ropeway, archery, mountain biking, indoor climbing, orienteering and disc golf. And you may fish e.g. at the salmon pond of Ylimmäinen Apulainen.

Strengths and expertise

The programmes of Metsäkartano are centred around four themes: hiking in the wild, arts and crafts, adventurous activities and environmental education. Hiking and wilderness skills have long traditions at Metsäkartano.

The strengths of Metsäkartano include encounters with the harmonious wilderness and surroundings of Eastern Finland, its warm and welcoming atmosphere, versatile programmes and friendly, flexible service.

A safety auditing has been carried out in Metsäkartano and safety plans have been drawn up for the entire centre and for all risky programmes. Metsäkartano is obliged to develop its activities in accordance with the ideas of sustainable development and to comply with the principles of sustainable tourism. Metsäkartano has been granted the first EU Flower logo in Finland - an environmental label for its exquisite accommodation facilities. Metsäkartano is also involved in the activities of the environment programme Vihreä Lippu.

Future

In the future, Metsäkartano will be turned into a more versatile holiday resort and camping site for families and young people with an abundance of year-round activities. Old traditions and environmental issues will be honoured and taken into account when carrying out the reforms. The visitors will become more and more international. Investments in the future include e.g. developing the winter activities and welfare services, building new accommodation facilities and renovating and extending the current premises.