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Eskers

The eskers, or ridges, that cut through the Rokua Geopark area are the most important land formation in the park. When they melted, masses of ice, kilometres thick released huge amounts of water, which had the power to carry and pile up till into sandy ridges tens of metres high, known as eskers. They were formed around 10,700 – 10,400 years ago.

The most extensive esker formations occurred on the island of Manamansalo and in Ruokuanvaara, where the edge of the glacier stopped in one place for a longer period and the meltwater had time to layer the till into eskers. Teeriniementie, the road leading to the Manamansalo hiking area, is built on top of a sharply winding esker. Säräisniemi, Kuostonsaari, Laajankangas in Vaala, the sandy areas in Ahmas and the extensive sandy areas in Suokylä in Muhos are all esker formations.

The largest esker formation in Rokua Geopark is Rokuanvaara, the hill in the heart of the Geopark itself. The esker is about 20 kilometres long, an average of five kilometres wide and 100 metres thick. It is the most prominent part of the Rokua esker, which is massive as a whole. The Rokua esker valley starts in Ilomantsi on Finland’s eastern border and runs as a coherent sandy ridge for more than 400 km before reaching the island of Hailuoto on the shore of the Gulf of Bothnia. Along it are several other prominent sites besides Rokua, such as Paltaniemi in Kajaani, the island of Ärjänsaari in Lake Oulujärvi, Oulunsalo and Hailuoto itself. 

 

Explore the eskers

The Lake Oulujärvi hiking area

Lake Oulujärvi boasts the only lake hiking area in Finland. It covers some of the islands in the Niskanselkä northern part of the lake and the shoreline of the mainland. The islands in the hiking area have managed hiking routs, shelters and campfire areas sites as well as places for mooring boats. The Lake Oulujärvi hiking area also offers a wide range of opportunities for canoeing, boat trips, walking, fishing and other activities. The most famous tourist destination in Lake Oulujärvi and also the heart of the lake itself, is the island of Manamansalo, the fifth largest inland island in Finland.

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Lake Oulujärvi

With a surface area of almost 900 m2, Lake Oulujärvi is known as the sea of Kainuu. Lake Oulujärvi is the fourth largest lake in Finland and is geographically situated almost in the middle of Finland. Its beautiful sea-like scenery features the flat plains of Ostrobothnia, the fells of Kainuu, shining golden beaches and bare rocky islands.

Lake Oulujärvi differs from Finland’s other lakes due to its beautiful stretches of open water. Lake Oulujärvi also boasts a large number of islands. In fact 650 islands have been counted with an area bigger than 100 m2. The lake’s large size means it is home to an abundance of wildlife. You might encounter marine species such as ruddy turnstones, great cormorants, and white-tailed eagles drifting above the water. As well as picturesque views and varied wildlife, the sloping sandy beaches are also safe and pleasant places for family swimming. Lake Oulujärvi is also located inside Finland’s only lake hiking area, with managed walking trails and other related services.

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Rokua

The rolling esker landscape of Rokua was created when the continental ice sheet melted about 10,000 years ago. Ponds with sparkling clear water, expanses of lichen shining like silver and beautifully curved dunes are the characteristic features of Rokua. The esker landscape and its surrounding area also feature sandy ridges shaped by the retreat of the Baltic Sea in the prehistoric period. Rokua National Park protects the area’s unique flora and landscap

This unique natural environment can be explored on skis, by snowmobile, on foot or by bike. A 70 km network of trails offers a wide range of options. The fresh, clear water of kettle holes is perfect for a dip on a hot summer’s day or for angling, trolling or ice fishing depending on the time of year. The Rokua area also offers plenty of tourism services.

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Rokua National Park

Rokua National Park was established in 1956 to protect the untouched lichen-clad forest floor and the unique geological features. Rokua National Park is among the second oldest group of national parks in Finland. Finland’s first national parks were founded in 1938. The National Park is located on the southern edge of the esker formation. It features dunes, kettle holes with mires and crystal clear groundwater pools, and ancient shore banks and plateaus. The park is also a site of untouched old-growth pine forests, rare in this region, with plenty of ancient pine trees and massive old trees. Rokua National Park is also Finland’s most important site for protecting barren forest.

Rokua National Park offers excellent opportunities for walking. There are marked trails in the park, as well as campfire sites and overnight shelter in Pitkäjärvi campsite or the wilderness hut at Pookivaara.


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Erratic boulders

Glacial erratic boulders are rocks that sheared off the bedrock and were carried by the glacial ice. The best-known erratic boulders in Rokua Geopark are Isokivi (literally “the big stone” in Rokua, and the erratic boulder at Väätäjänniemi. Isokivi first drifted on the surface of glacial lake called Ancylus Lake with a block of ice and sank to the bottom of the sea when the ice block melted. The boulder consists of Precambrian schists and granites which were crystallized and metamorphosed in ancient orogeny processes as a high mountain range was tilted up in Finland. 

Isokivi is located beside the Emperor’s Road in the south-west corner of Rokua National Park on the border between Muhos and Vaala municipalities. It has served as a boundary stone for hundreds of years, marking the boundaries of municipalities, provinces and regions. The easiest way to find the stone is to take the Emperor’s Road in Neittävä and continue on the Emperor’s Road about two kilometres after the Pitkäjärvi car park in Rokua National Park. 


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Liimanninkoski nature trail

The Liimanninkoski nature trail takes you from the light-filled sloping meadows of the Muhosjoki river through dense spruce groves and lush broad-leaved woodland to Liimanninkoski rapids foaming at the bottom of the valley. Over thousands of years, the river has carved its way deeper and deeper into the sandy soil. In places the river has created a rocky river bed and beautiful granite stone steps, over which the rush of water bubbles and falls. Soft soils have caused the river’s drastic curves, or meanders, which make the river valley such a varied walk. The favourable conditions it provides make the river valley home to a wide variety of flourishing plant life and plenty of wildlife too. Liimanninkoski is a nationally protected area of broadleaf woodland. 

The Liimanninkoski nature trail starts at the car park by Suonkyläntie, which is signposted from the main road Valtatie 22. There is a shelter next to the nature trail right by the rapids, an ideal spot to stop for a breather, gaze at the foaming water and even make a campfire. The parking area nearby also has groups of tables undercover for a sit down and a picnic.


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Manamansalo

Manamansalo is Finland’s fifth largest inland island. Much of its 80 km shoreline is sandy beaches. The heart of the island is an extension of a sandy ridge which formed in layers on top of ancient bedrock more than 2.5 billion years old. 

Explore the beautiful natural setting of Manamansalo on the trails in the Lake Oulujärvi hiking area. These cover almost 15 km in the northern part of the island. They meander through lichen-clad ground, shimmering silver, past kettle holes filled with clear water and the shoreline of Lake Oulujärvi. The best spot to access the trails is at Teeriniemi, where there is also a hiking area information point. 

In the north-east part of Manamansalo you’ll find Kilonniemi fishing harbour and a gneiss bedrock site presenting the oldest bedrock area in the European Union. Peuranpolku, a trail that presents the history of the island dating back thousands of years, runs from Manamansalon Portti to a Monument church. More up-to-date culture can be enjoyed at Kassu Halonen’s Taidetalo.


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Syvyydenkaivo

Literally “the Well of Deepness”, Syvyydenkaivo is Finland’s deepest kettle hole with a measured depth of more than 50 metres. A bog has formed at the bottom, about eight metres thick, which covers part of the actual depth of the kettle hole.

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