Lydia Wideman fitness stairs take you to the top of Mäntänvuori hill. With a total of 218 steps, it takes real effort to reach the top. The steps are numbered, with the numbers marked on every tenth step. You can climb up the entire set of 218 steps in one go, or you can take advantage of the benches along the way to take breaks to admire the scenery.
The stairs were renovated in 2019 and they are illuminated, which makes them safe to use even when it gets dark. The illuminated trail goes from the car park of the Mänttä sports field all the way to the top of the hill. When you reach the top, you can climb up the Mäntänvuori observation tower to get the best possible view.
The fitness stairs are named after Lydia Wideman, Finland’s first female Olympic gold medalist in cross-country skiing. Wideman was born in Vilppula and did a lot of her training in the Mäntänvuori area, which is why the stairs were named in her honour. The name reminds people that, even if you come from a small town, it is possible to make it to the top as long as you put in the work.
The stairs start next to the landing area of the old ski jumping hill. In the mid-1900s, the Mäntänvuori ski jumping hill hosted many intense competitions.
A second set of fitness stairs, slightly shorter and with less incline, is located in Vilppula. More information on the Parkkivuori fitness stairs completed in the summer 2021 is available here.
In addition to the fitness stairs and the observation tower, Mäntänvuori has the following facilities:
- Nature trails
- Illuminated running and skiing trails
- An accessible trail (Ilvestie)
- Vuorenkirkko nature chapel
- Vuorenmaja, a ski hut designed by W.G. Palmqvist that is now home to the wine tavern Vuorenmaja.
