In Reisjärvi, long hiking trails, winter activities and a wide range of cultural attractions come together. This makes it easy to plan your visit: you can focus your time on Peuran Polku, the facilities in Petäjämäki, historic sites or the landscape around Raurankallio.

Hiking trails and activities in Petäjämäki

The Peuran Polku trail network is 115 kilometres long. It includes a 77-kilometre main route connecting the Petäjämäki Outdoor Centre with the 15-kilometre Mäntyjärvi loop trail. These figures describe different scales: the entire trail network, the main route and a single loop trail. The Kuivajärven kierros is also part of Peuran Polku. It is marked with orange paint, and signposts are placed at junctions.

The Petäjämäki Outdoor Centre has an adventure forest and an 18-hole disc golf course. Those interested in exercising on lit trails will also find fitness trails there measuring 2, 3, 4 and 5.5 kilometres.

In winter, you can ski on lit trails, go sledding and snowboard in Petäjämäki. The snow-covered ski trail is subject to a separate condition: it opens each year in November, depending on the weather. If you are planning specifically to use this option, check the conditions before your trip.

Church, local history and art

The Reisjärvi church, called Reisjärven Elisabetin kirkko, was completed in 1820 and consecrated on 2 September 1821. This gives its construction and consecration a clear timeline. The Kotiseutumuseo is dedicated to Reisjärvi and its history, and displays old objects.

Two collections with different focuses offer further insights into the past. The Puurulan kotiseutumuseo displays old farming objects and tools. Annin nukketalo houses handmade dolls and toys from various decades. Alongside local history, the focus is therefore also on rural life and everyday objects.

Maikin taidekoti is the studio home of artist Maikki Parkkila. Visits are possible by appointment, and watercolours and other paintings are displayed there. For an art-focused visit, this place is therefore quite different from the local history collections.

Poetry and landscapes along the way

At the end of Susisaari, in Runokivenpuisto, stands the statue Kaarina-runotyttö, reading a book of poems. Large stones around the statue bear poems by local residents. The park is accessible by car, and there is a parking area beside it. It is therefore a clearly identified stop for planning your visit, while the poems and statue give the place its character.

The Rauran näköalatorni observation tower on Raurankallio offers a different perspective on the landscape. Views from the tower stretch across a wilderness landscape, and it is also suitable for birdwatching. A large, continuous rock formation called “pirunpelto” lies directly beside it.

To reach the observation tower, drive along Mäntyperäntie and Raurantie to a parking area. From there, continue for about one kilometre along a forest road or path. The Kuivajärvi log cabin is also located on the shore of Lake Kuivajärvi, near the Etelä-Sydänmaa old-growth forest reserve and Peuran Polku; it has a sauna.

Discover more destinations: Syötekylä, Tyrnävä, Alastalo, Hyytiälä, Kauhajoki, Juuma, Närpes, Pyhäntä.

For the regional travel overview: North Ostrobothnia.