Experience castle-like cliff
The beautiful Luonteri lake has a steep cliff called Kaarnavuori. The story tells that a giant and his family lived in Kaarnavuori before people settled in the area. The giants’ home was inside a rock and there was a door under a big rock ledge. The giant had painted door with tar and some of the tar still stands out from the rock surface today. Unfortunately, the giants moved away when the first human settlers arrived around Mikkeli and the rock home was left empty. Nobody knows exactly what the inside of the rock looks like, because there is no magic to open the giant’s door. (Kejonen, Aimo (2008). Kansantarinat, Karttakeskus, p. 69)
Kaarnavuori is located on Luonteri in the southern part of Saukonsalo Island. The best way to admire the rugged rock wall and overhanging cliff is by boating or canoeing in Kaarnalahti bay, which opens to the east of Kaarnavuori.
Image: Jari Nenonen