Have you ever seen sand in Finland that’s soft, light in color, and so abundant that it feels unbelievable this view could even exist here?

We experienced just that in Ristijärvi, at the Hiisijärvi Sands!
It's a place worth seeing — especially if you don’t mind brushing sand off your clothes for a week afterwards, haha!

But it’s true: we had never heard of a place like this before. While exploring Ristijärvi, we of course had to check it out. And guess what? We got a close-up look at the history behind the Hiisijärvi sands.

🌊 THE STORY OF HIISIJÄRVI

Once upon a time, back in 1761, the Härkönen brothers decided to dig a drainage ditch by hand at the lower end of Lake Hiisijärvi, aiming to lower the water level a bit. The goal? To gain more farmland.

Well… what happened was a bit more dramatic than expected.
They got more farmland, alright — a lot more.
The sandy ridge collapsed, and the mass of water in Hiisijärvi surged out violently. The lake literally escaped.

The flood swept away fish, plants, buildings, and massive amounts of soil. The tsunami-like wave reshaped the entire landscape.

That Ascension Day evening in 1761 went down in history.
The lake dropped 14 meters, shrinking from 10 km long to less than 3 km.

We had the pleasure and honor of hearing this incredible story from Sirpa Härkönen, a descendant of the original Härkönen brothers. We met her the next day at the Paltamo Summer Opening, just after our visit to the Hiisijärvi sands!

What started as a noble effort turned into a total disaster — one that’s now immortalized in history and has left behind a stunning natural spot in Ristijärvi!

🏖️ SERVICES & WHAT TO DO

The sand dunes are located right on the shore of Lake Hiisijärvi, and there’s now a kid-friendly swimming area built there (since the lake is quite deep — up to 15 meters in the middle!). There are also changing cabins by the beach.

From the parking area, you’ll find a brand new toilet and an accessible path leading to the shore.

Near the beach, there's a covered firepit with a chimney, perfect for summer day barbecues.

The sand dunes are great for playing, doing tricks, or playing football or volleyball, with ready-made courts available!

Right in the middle of the dunes stands a big rock that’s a perfect spot for a social media photo.
That’s where we left our mark — the @savolaiset_seikkailee “social stone” — as a memory of this awesome visit!

❤️ HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: THE HIISIJÄRVI SANDS!

We only share locations, where we have been exploring and visiting as a family of 10, you get very special things in our website!

Suomeksi: https://www.savolaisetseikkailee.fi/l/hiisijarven-hiekat/