Finland has a list of 27 National Landscapes — places considered to embody something essential about the country — and Punkaharju has been on it since the list was drawn up in 1992. The designation covers not just the ridge but the surrounding lake views: the long sight lines down Lake Pihlajavesi and Lake Puruvesi that you get from the higher points of the road.
There are several marked viewpoints along Highway 14. Pull over, walk to the edge of the road shoulder, and look. In good weather the lakes are pale blue with islands stepping into the distance; in mist, which is common in the mornings, the water disappears and the pines float on white. It is one of the most photographed views in Finland for a reason.