Eco-Travel ECEAT Finland

Welcome to the compromise of your dreams – an old private house in the middle of nowhere!

This bungalow built in 1980 has everything you might expect from a house aged 40 years: slightly slanted floors, outdated solutions and unexpected interior decoration choices. There are no unnecessary luxuries here, and recycling is appreciated!

Pikku-Koski, which is located 17 km from Rokua National Park, is run by Active Camping Oy entrepreneur Päivi Metsola. She lives next door to Pikku-Koski building with her family.

Pikku-Koski house has a living room, two bedrooms (one larger room and one very small one), an open plan kitchen, family room, sauna with a wood-burning stove and toilet on a single floor. The house has beds for four persons, with 2 extra beds available. Visitors can also rent a tentsile for 2 to 3 persons.

Cots are available for children, with a play area outside.

The large lawn in the garden provides space for play and games, or why not garden parties in summer. A large log outbuilding dating back to the 1950s, once a shop storeroom, offers shelter from rain. In late summer visitors can enjoy redcurrants from the garden. 

Surroundings and activities

Pikku-Koski is an ideal base for self-guided excursions. Visitors can use bicycles free of charge, and an excellent new cycle path with lights to the village centre starts almost from the front gate.

Bathing areas can be found in the River Oulujoki (1 km) and Lake Oulujärvi (4 km).

Visitors can rent a selection of ecological means of transport: kayaks, canoes, SUP boards, electric and conventional fatbikes and sliding snowshoes in winter.

Visitors can pre-book many types of pastimes: experiences, tourism and other activities, courses and training for groups large and small, including:

• Learning days at local nature sites (for example for school classes, youth groups or groups of adults).
• Relaxation in nature: the participants paddle to a wooded area and enjoy the peace and quiet of nature while relaxing in hammocks.
• Power of nature: the participants create land art in nature.
• Nature photography excursion.

Visitors can also rent a bouncy castle, star tent, pop-up tent and a large paella pan (100 cm in diameter), in which you can cook a meal for even a large party.

Activities in the local area:

• Destinations in Vaala area include Kilonniemi gneiss bedrock, Rokuanvaara hill and Rokua National Park, Latvakangas old-growth forest and Oulujärvi hiking area. There is also a large selection of hiking and nature trails.
• Cultural destinations nearby include Art Villa of Kankari, Kassu Halonen Art House, Lamminaho farm, Säräisniemi church and local heritage museum as well as folk art park Lumotun Hallan Maa.
• At Vaala village centre, the hostess runs the small, welcoming Café Pikku Varis

Directions

The distance from both Oulu and Kajaani to Pikku-Koski is around 90 km.

 Bus and train: Vaala village centre, around 4 km

Motorists/cyclists:

• From Oulu direction (Road 22), turn off at Jylhämä crossroads and drive on for around 7 km. Turn left to Koskentie and keep driving almost until the end of this road.
• From Kajaani direction (Road 22), turn off to Vaala village centre, drive through the village and keep going until you reach the destination around 3 km after the village.
• From Vuolijoki/Säräisniemi direction, drive towards Vaala and turn left to Jylhämä at a T junction. Follow this road for around 3 km. Turn right to Koskentie and keep driving almost until the end of this road.

Opening times and prices

• Open: year round. Advance booking necessary.
• Prices: accommodation at Pikku-Koski EUR 99/night or EUR 590/week. For more information on prices see the company’s website or contact us.

Our actions for the environment:

• We repair all kinds of old things and use old materials when building something new.
• We avoid buying new items where possible: for example, the furniture is mainly recycled.

Cultural actions:

• We inform visitors of interesting individual and cultural history associated with the building on the site and the local area.
• We preserve the old outbuilding and its original colours.

Future

• We will set up a raised garden bed in the yard
• We are thinking of new uses for the old outbuilding
• We are considering solar panels and solar thermal collectors
• We encourage visitors to use bikes when visiting the village.