Pelkosenniemi: Moorland, River and Village Life

Kilpiaapa, the Kemijoki River and the church village give Pelkosenniemi its different facets: here, a significant peatland area, opportunities by the river, and remarkable architectural and cultural heritage come together. When planning a trip, you can focus on nature and cross-country skiing, activities on the water, or exploring the village.

Peatland landscape near Pelkosenniemi

Kilpiaapa is Finland’s tenth-largest aapa mire and is part of the Kemihaaran suot Natura 2000 area. The mire lies near Pelkosenniemi’s church village and gives the destination a tangible connection to nature. This contrast is worth considering when choosing the focus of your holiday: alongside village life, there is a vast peatland landscape to explore in its own right. The Kilpiaapa bird tower is also a named landmark in the area.

Trails and outdoor activities

The church village has a lit fitness trail about 1 km long. It includes an accessible shelter, and there is also a toilet. Information about the shelter and toilet provides practical guidance for anyone planning a short outdoor visit. The accessibility feature applies to the shelter and does not automatically describe the trail itself.

A cross-country ski trail in the church village follows the Kurkihyppyläntie loop to the Kilpiaapa bird tower. This makes cross-country skiing an option to consider as a distinct focus for your trip, while the fitness trail offers another option in the village, about 1 km long. The two activities differ both in type and in their described routes.

By the Kemijoki River and at the village beach

You can swim in the Kemijoki River at the beach in Pelkosenniemi’s church village. There is also a barbecue hut, outdoor exercise equipment, a changing cabin and children’s swings. The beach area therefore offers opportunities for both exercise and relaxation, as well as activities for children. Which of these suits your holiday depends on whether you want to focus on time by the water, a shared barbecue or outdoor exercise.

A boat ramp onto the Kemijoki is located next to the beach at Kemijärventie 80. It is a separate access point for reaching the river with a watercraft; the beach and its facilities, by contrast, offer options for swimming and outdoor activities.

Church and village layout

Pelkosenniemi Church is a wooden long church, completed in 1929, that survived the Lapland War. It was designed by architect Yrjö Sadeniemi. Its style is primarily in keeping with the classicism of the 1920s; its features include a gable tower. Anyone interested in architecture and local history will find a concrete example of the church village’s architectural history here.

The layout of the church village is also distinctive: it is a typical ribbon-like riverside settlement. Together with the Kemijoki River, this settlement pattern shapes the character of the place. For your holiday planning, this lets you distinguish between nature and river themes on the one hand, and architectural and local history on the other, without limiting your stay to just one kind of discovery.

Market square and monuments

The market square is in the church village at Sodankyläntie 7. It has a stage, an electricity connection and a notice board; there are also various monuments there. Areas of the square can be reserved for different purposes, including events. Its facilities make the market square a distinct public space in the church village, not merely an address for individual monuments.

The square is home to the Paavali Pelkonen monument, an Andy McCoy statue, the Saran Salama monument and large salmon sculptures. Matti Hulkko created the Andy McCoy statue and the large salmon sculptures in 2009; he created the Saran Salama monument in 2017. These works give the market square several different themes. If you enjoy including art and monuments in your trip, you can explore them as a focus in their own right, alongside the church, river and peatland landscape.

When choosing a holiday apartment, you can start by considering which of these themes suits your trip: cross-country skiing and peatland scenery, time by the Kemijoki, or impressions of the church and village square. Pelkosenniemi offers different ways to explore these themes, without requiring every holiday day to be the same.

More destinations

Muonio, Tornio, Inari, Sirkkakoski, Pohjaslahti, Naruska, Kemi, Kemijärvi.

For the broader travel overview: Lapland.