The fascinating stories of Rokua Geopark

The Oulujoki River is the largest river in the Rokua Geopark and one of the biggest rivers in Finland. It was shaped by the last Ice Age, and the earliest settlements in the area developed along its banks. The Oulujoki has been an important transportation route, a significant connection between the coast and the inland, and one of Finland's first travel routes. Numerous stories about the Oulujoki still keep alive legends of giants, fishing tales, tar rowing and whitewater rafting traditions, as well as the unique stories of the villages. Today, the Oulujoki River Valley is a nationally valuable landscape area.

The Muhos Formation, which is estimated to extend nearly a kilometer deep beneath the Earth's surface, is a significant geological feature. This ancient bedrock depression has had a wide-ranging impact on the natural conditions of the Oulujoki River Valley, shaping them into what they are today. The formation stretches from Muhos to the Gulf of Bothnia, reaching a width of up to approximately 25 kilometers and a length of about 80 kilometers.

In a Finnish travel guide from 1888, Muhos’s Pyhäkoski was recommended as a place to visit. Indeed, Pyhäkoski was so majestic and powerful that it might be hard to imagine today. As the English lady Ethel Tweedie wrote after her visit to Pyhäkoski in 1896: “No artist could succeed in capturing that view with a brush.”

The story The Birch and the Star, written by Sakari (Zacharias) Topelius—known as the 'Fairy Tale Grandpa'—is one of the most famous stories from Northern Ostrobothnia. The story has a historical foundation, as it is set during the Great Wrath in the early 18th century in Finland and is based on the personal experiences of Topelius's own family.

Border disputes have brought centuries of war and destruction to the Oulujoki River valley. Although many generations have passed since the dark times, stories of locals who escaped persecution and hid in remote forest dwellings live on.

The eastern train service from Oulu changed the way people travelled to the towns and villages in what is today the Rokua Geopark area. When it was finally completed after decades of waiting, the railway reduced travel time from days to hours. Slow travel by water and on sandy roads was no longer the only option.

Manamansalo, the largest island in the vast Lake Oulujärvi and the fifth largest island in Finland's inland waters, was formed after the last Ice Age. Despite being well connected by water, the island and its inhabitants remained relatively isolated for a long time. Today, the island offers tourist services and nature attractions.

River Oulujoki has always been famous for its salmon. The river's fishing stories often tell of visitors who came from faraway countries such as France, Turkey and even the former Siam (Thailand) to fish in the river's free rapids and flowing waters. The Niskakoski rapids in Vaala and the Pyhäkoski rapids in Muhos were particularly popular. Most of the fishing tourists came from England and were nicknamed "salmon lords" in river folklore.

Lichens are a special feature of the terrain in Rokua and the wider Rokua Geopark area. The grey, lichen-covered pine heath stretches from the Rokua hills and the forests of Ahmas to Säräisniemi, Kankari, Neittävä and the island of Manamansalo. Dozens of different lichen species thrive in these habitats.

The village of Ahmas has a particularly strong tradition of folk culture. Old poetry in the Kalevala metre flourished in the Oulujoki river valley in the early 19th century. Today you can discover this tradition in the Kalevala Heritage Village in Ahmas.

Designed by architect Aarne Ervi as a housing area for hydroelectric power station workers, Leppiniemi was built in Muhos between the 1940s and 1960s in connection with the new Pyhäkoski power station - but the history of the area goes back much further. Leppiniemi has often been described as an impressive and romantic place, and the many stories told about it bear witness to this.

A great amount of tar has been transported across Lake Oulujärvi and down the river to Oulu. It is said that back in the day dozens of boats could often be seen crossing the now relatively quiet lake at the same time.