Nature and culture at Himos-Jämsä
Magical Synninlukko gorge
Located just under 10 kilometres from the Jämsä city centre, Synninlukko is a magical nature destination where you’ll quickly forget about the city noise and rush of everyday life. Please note that Google may direct you to drive along a small logging road to the destination. You can find a description of the destination and detailed driving instructions on the page that presents Synninlukko.
The Synninlukko area is protected because of its lush, deciduous vegetation, some of which is very rare. The gorge is a great place on hot summer days, because the rays of the sun don’t reach the bottom of the gorge. During the spring, a thin layer of ice covers the walls – making it a natural work of art.
We went into the gorge after a rainfall and I noticed that I should have worn rubber boots for the walk. Proper hiking shoes are needed if you want to spend more time in the area. A visit to this beautiful environment is worth the effort!
From the parking area, you can walk to Synninlukko by following a 400-metre accessible gravel path and then continuing along a 65-metre-long wooden pathway leading to the gorge landscape. Completed in late summer 2023, this magnificent route is wheelchair accessible.
Watch our video about Synninlukko here.
Juveninkoski is the highest waterfall in southern Finland
On Wednesday, we went to admire Juveninkoski, one of the largest waterfall in southern Finland. It is located in the village of Partala, 16 kilometers from Jämsä. To get to the Juveninkoski, we parked our car in a nearby parking lot, from where you can reach the waterfall along a short path. A spectacular waterfall opened up in front of us and the roar of the rapids was truly deafening. It is definitely worth experiencing. You can sit and admire the spectacle of nature at the viewpoint. We took some great pictures from the rapids. Water is an impressive element in its own right.
At six metres high, it once provided power for a mill and wooden shingle planer. Around the same time, Heikki Juven started a ski factory in the area. Detailed driving instructions and more information about Juveninkoski waterfall are available here.
Watch our video about Juveninkoski here.
Finland’s only felt factories operate in Jämsä’s Partala village
One of the biggest surprises on our visit to Himos-Jämsä was discovering that it is home to Finland’s only felt shoe factories. We found out that a felt shoe factory is a very quiet place. At least that’s what we’ve always been told.
Many felt shoe factories opened in the village of Partola during the 1900s. There were sheep in the area, so the raw materials were available right in the village. Other reasons why felt shoe production began included strong handicraft skills, a poor employment rate and the need for warm footwear. As skills and experts developed, competence was passed down from one family and generation to another. One family set up their own workshop, another family did the same – and eventually there were seven factories in the small village.
At this time, Finland’s only felt shoe factories operate in the village of Partala. The largest of these is Huopatehdas Lahtinen. Among other things, they produce felt boots, hotpads, backpacks, sauna hats, and tennis shoes. We were surprised by the diversity and wide colour range of products available at the factory.
The other factory is Huopatossutehdas J. Alho. This family-owned business was founded in 1927, and many people have been working there for nearly their entire lives. The grandfather of the family is still helping out with felt shoe production. Johanna Alho represents the fourth generation to run the company.
Huopatossutehdas J. Alho is located approximately 2 km from the Lahtinen factory. These companies each have their own specialisations, so it’s definitely worth visiting both factory outlets. The Alho factory outlet also has a café.
Watch here to see how lasts are used when making felt shoes.
The best American car museum in Finland
We (and probably many other people) were surprised to find out that Jämsä has a car museum. Car enthusiasts Veli-Matti Mäkinen and Hannu Haljala have been collecting American cars for decades. In 2020, these two friends decided to put all these beautiful vehicles on display in the same place. This was the start of Classic Garage, the best American car museum in Finland.
The museum currently has about 40 American cars and 100 mopeds and motorcycles.
Veli-Matti Mäkinen presented these treasures to us with the enthusiasm and knowledge that is only possible when a person loves what they are doing. He made us feel like collecting old American cars is the best thing in the world. However, watching the video below will show you that there is something even more important in life. Veli-Matti is quite the romantic!
Please note that Classic Garage Jämsä is only open by reservation. You can find the contact information here. We definitely recommend booking a guided tour with Veli-Matti.
Aviation Museum
A lot of love is also evident at Hallinportti Aviation Museum, which is dedicated to the pioneers of the Finnish aviation industry. Activities began in 1938, when the Karhumäki brothers built an aircraft factory in the area. They had started producing aircraft in the Keljo district of Jyväskylä, which provided the foundation for starting the Kar-Air aircraft company.
Museum Director Seppo Valkeiskangas is one of the museum’s founders, and he gave us a tour. Seppo has spent years volunteering at his former workplace, where he tells visitors about the history of Finnish aviation.
