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Central Ostrobothnia, Finland
Photo: Santeri Viinamäki, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Inland Central Ostrobothnia is a rural area in Central Ostrobothnia, here defined as the municipalities of Halsua, Lestijärvi, Perho and Toholampi.
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Wooden church, finished in 1827 but modified several times over.
Shallow sandy beach with dressing room, toilet, beach volley court, barbecue hut and picnic area.
Peuran polku
77-km hiking trail from Reisjärvi to the national park, through the southern part of the Lestijärvi municipality, via Valkeinen and Valvatti.
Some of the islands of Lestijärvi make up a nature reserve; three of the islands have lean-to shelters for visitors, one of these (Ahosaari, off Lestijärvi centre) is accessible by a skiing route in season. The skiing track follows the shore to Yli-Lesti. A canoeing route leads 25 km downstream by the lakes outlet river, Lestijoki. There are shelters after 3 km (at Jatkonkoski), 8.5 km (Raivio, after a bridge), 13 km (on Kanasaari), 17.5 km (after Talauskoski), 18.5 km (after Kalliokoski), 20 km (by Kuussahi), 22.5 km (at Sammalkangas), and 25 km (before Myllykoski). Some or all shelters may be private and locked. The last kilometres are the toughest, for experienced paddlers only. Some of the mires by the river belong to nature reserves. The shelters are reachable also by path or road.
Lestihunter rents canoes and arranges canoe tours by the upper reach of Lestijoki. Alternatives include Niskankorpi–Raivio (8km, beginning at the lake outlet), Niskankorpi–Murennuskoski (17 km) and Raivio–Hirvikoski (15 km, with the main rapids).
Bar and restaurant.
Hotel or hostel rooms. Breakfast included. Restaurant. Campfire site. Swimming jetty (Lestijoki). Also private and public events and courses. Facilities shared by two hostel rooms, en suite in the hotel rooms.
Former forest ranger cabin, now a historic sight and an open wilderness hut. Well. For day visits or one or two nights. The stoves are tricky, don't use them unless you know how (draught has to be created in the flue before lighting the stove proper; don't close the damper early, to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning). Sauna (to be paid online or at a service point, before or after the visit), agree on turns, such as one hour for women and one for men, if there are other people around. The birdwatching tower of the former lake Iso-Valvatti is a kilometre away.
Camping and cabin accommodation next to Lake Halsua. The place has a restaurant as well.
Camping and cottages. Beach by the lake Valkeinen. Bar with barbecue, pizzas and ice cream, and basic groceries. The bigger cottages have their own kitchenette. Also better equipped and bigger "luxury" cottages.
By bus
There are buses from Kannus (which has a railway station) to Toholampi and on to Lestijärvi. From Kokkola, in turn, there are buses to Halsua and Perho.
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Kokkola / Kruunupyy · Regional · KOK
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