 Oulu’s brimming with ‘undiscovered’ tourist gems; or so they say. Alan Pembshaw takes a Hailuoto ferry to the type of island you wish you’d taken to at fifteen with a treasure map and a bottle of ginger ale.
It’s straight out of an Enid Blyton novel: old wooden houses; sweeping beech; hidden tracks through the forest. The only item missing is a bearded, ubiquitous stranger with a limp and a far-away look.
We’re here in early May–spring in northern Finland–with the weather just turning warmer, the previous two days over 20 degrees celsius. Today is much the same: bright sunshine, not a breath of wind. It's one of those trips you intend to make for years but never get around to. We're taking the ferry across to Hailuoto, the bulkiest island in the north of the Gulf of Bothnia–and one of Finland’s national ‘aah’ spots.
For all the fuss that isn’t made about it, you’d be surprised this was just south west of Oulu, a thirty kilometre drive from the city to the ferry terminal followed by a thirty minute boat strip on what is, if you’re lucky, a beautiful smooth sea. Though the ferry’s live webcam ensures that the chronically sea-sick can rehearse the journey ahead of time.
At the eastern tip of the island, a small information centre nestles with maps and brochures. My first impression of the island is flat but replete: a pocket book of agricultural hotspots, including an emu farm, forest, swamps and beautiful beaches.The island is famous for its abundance of migrating birds, one of the reasons we decided to visit in early May. I had found a camera online showing an osprey’s nest, and was keen to see the wildlife. Interestingly, at a time of climate change and people being concerned with rising water levels in the world’s oceans and seas, Hailuoto is actually rising several centimetres per year. It first appeared in the Gulf of Bothnia about 1700 years ago; it’s estimated that in three centuries, the island will become part of the mainland.
 Hailuoto’s casual intimacy is of the type you’d imagine has disappeared from Western Europe in a flush of tourist money. Many Finns have summer cottages here, so they can enjoy the summer months more fully. Most are on the beachfront, and you can imagine the long, idyllic summer days spent around the barbeque or walking the expansive beaches. If you don’t rent a cottage, you can use one of the camping grounds. The main town, about 20 km in at the centre of the rural community, has the usual facilities–supermarket, bank, petrol station, medical centre, school and a couple of small diners. The other habitation, Marjaniemi, is a small fishing village with a hotel, an information centre and a lighthouse.
The information centre has impressive interactive displays about the island’s flora and fauna, with black-and-white and colour movies on various aspects of Hailuoto’s history; outside you can even climb the lighthouse. All displays have options for English options, making it one of the best information centres of a local area.
The village also has a fishing harbour, and in winter, seals are often seen on the sea ice near the pier. On our day here, we miss the seals but see and hear a multitude of sea birds emitting a cacophony of sound. Here also is a camping ground backing onto the beach, with areas for caravans and campers, as well as cottages for rent,
Several walks marked on the map promise adventure in different directions, most following the coastal beaches and coves. We decide to head by car to the south of the island towards Pöllä, where there are most beaches and walks. To drive directly there, we use one of the unpaved roads, which was narrow but in quite good condition. No other people on the beach near Sunikari, we enjoy a picnic in the sun with only the sound of birds to disturb the tranquility – it couldn’t be a more ideal setting.
From there is less than a half-hour drive back to the ferry; we’re home by early evening.
I can’t imagine a better place for a day trip in summer with a family. Much more so than Nallikari, the beaches are long and wide, and there are ample opportunities to spread a picnic and let the children run free. A perfect summer hideaway.
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