Ranua on Lake Ranuanjärvi: Church, Swimming Beach and Activities

Ranua combines life in the church village with the shores of Lake Ranuanjärvi and a variety of ways to spend your days away. Kirkonkylä, Ranua’s central settlement area, developed along the lakeshore. Cultural history and swimming spots sit alongside sporting activities here; the Oravi routes near the church village complete the picture with trails for different seasons.

Church and Lakeshore in the Church Village

Ranuan kirkko stands on the shore of Lake Ranuanjärvi in the centre of Ranua. The small wooden cruciform church has 338 seats, was designed by Jarl Eklund and was inaugurated in 1914. Its wooden construction, cruciform shape and lakeside location give the town centre several distinct facets: those interested in the history and architecture of the church village will find a tangible point of interest here, while Lake Ranuanjärvi shapes the area’s setting.

Multilahti is also on Lake Ranuanjärvi, right next to the church village of Ranua. The beach, maintained by the municipality, is considered a summer destination for the whole family. The combination of beach and lake makes Multilahti a destination in its own right for a stay that includes time by the water. Beach facilities and seasonal swimming conditions may change; take local conditions into account when planning your visit.

At Ikosenpuisto, also on the shore of Lake Ranuanjärvi in the church village, visitors can swim and play beach volleyball. This brings together two different activities at one named location. Whether you can swim and play beach volleyball at Ikosenpuisto may depend on seasonal conditions. When planning your days by the water, you can consider Multilahti and Ikosenpuisto as two separate places to visit.

Oravi Routes: Trail Lengths and Winter Ski Tracks

The Oravi routes near the church village comprise a total of about 13.5 kilometres of fitness trails; in winter, there are ski tracks. Trail lengths range from 1 to 10 kilometres. Four circular trails are lit and are 1, 2, 3 or 5 kilometres long.

One distinctive feature along the five-kilometre Oravi route is a fitness staircase with about 50 steps. It adds a clearly identified section of the route to the trail information. In winter, the ski tracks take centre stage as a seasonal addition to the fitness trails; the two types of use give the routes a different character depending on the season.

Sporting Variety and a Holiday Apartment in Ranua

At MultigolfPark, you can play disc golf, park golf and footgolf at the same venue. These three games can be seen as different ways to spend time in Ranua, without each one requiring a separate location. If you would like to include the park in your plans, check locally for current availability.

When choosing a holiday apartment in Ranua, you can first consider which aspects of the area suit your holiday plans: time by the lake, the church and central church village, fitness trails and winter ski tracks, or the different games at MultigolfPark. These are different focuses for planning your trip, not a set itinerary that needs to combine every activity.

Discover more destinations: Ivalo, Kolari, Sirkkakoski, Naruska, Patokoski, Tervola, Kilpisjärvi, Kaamanen.

For the main travel overview: Lapland.