The "Vaara" Hills are the Icon of Kainuu – Read How These Landscapes Challenge Orienteers

Published: 14.05.2026

Across Kainuu, the forested "vaara" hills and their landmarks are steeped in local legends and history.

Orienteering map: Orienteers will get to experience the slopes of Latvavaara in Paljakka, Puolanka, during the 59th Kainuu Orienteering Week, held from 4 to 9 July 2027.

Kainuu is famous for its vaara terrain—heavily forested hills that challenge orienteers with significant elevation changes, precise control points, and steep slopes. Not only do you need powerful legs to climb the hills, but you also need the skill and courage to maintain speed while descending.

In Northern Finland, these hilly terrains generally offer good runnability, and orienteering is even permitted in some protected areas. However, slopes can be lush or rocky in places, and the summits often feature very intricate, detailed contours.

Teemu Köngäs, who has mapped terrains for events like Vuokatti-Jukola and Kainuu Orienteering Week, emphasizes that route choices become critical in such a varied landscape.

“Visualizing your route is essential because, in these terrains, the straightest line is rarely the fastest,” Köngäs says.

The slopes of Kainuu can sometimes be relatively "empty" regarding map details. In these moments, an orienteer must have the confidence to rely on their compass when there are few features to read on the map or in the terrain.

“The slope can easily pull you off track, so an orienteer must be able to perceive different elevation levels,” Köngäs notes.

According to Köngäs, it pays to take your time with route choices to find a path that avoids the steepest climbs and utilizes existing tracks. A typical challenge is a "parallel error," where the orienteer misidentifies their location because the terrain looks identical to another spot nearby.

Orienteering map: The terrain for Vuokatti-Jukola (19–20 June 2027) shares very similar characteristics with Porttivaara, shown in this map extract, located just a few kilometers south of the Jukola competition area.

The "Vaara" Hills are the Heart of the Kainuu Landscape

During 2026, various training courses will open in the Sotkamo area. Maps for these can be purchased at the Vuokatti Sport reception and from the Sotkamon Jymy orienteering club. Teemu Köngäs also suggests exploring the slopes of Ukkohalla in Hyrynsalmi and Paljakka in Puolanka, where the 59th Kainuu Orienteering Week will be held in 2027 two weeks after Vuokatti-Jukola relay.

“Those terrains have a unique exoticism; you get to orienteer in old-growth forest conservation areas that you can hardly find anywhere else in Finland,” Köngäs states.

The chain of hills stretching from Puolanka to Sotkamo forms one of Finland’s most significant clusters of rich forest and fen ecosystems. Many of Kainuu’s landscapes, such as the Vuokatti hill range and its lakeside villages, are classified as nationally valuable landscape areas.

According to Sanna Nikola-Määttä, an environmental expert at the Regional Council of Kainuu, the vast, continuous stretches of forests and hills are the province’s most central geographical hallmark.

“Perhaps the lyrics of the provincial anthem, Nälkämaan laulu, best describe the character these hills bring to our region: 'These hills represent our freedom,'” Nikola-Määttä reflects.

While the fame of Kainuu’s hills has grown through tourism and sporting events, they were originally made famous by artists, photographers, and writers.

Many stories are linked to these hills and their sights. Nikola-Määttä highlights a legend from the late 16th century set in the Vuokatti hills, which can be found in Reijo Heikkinen's book Suuntana Sotkamo.

“According to the book, Sissiluola (The Guerilla Cave) is located on the southwestern slope of Iso Pölly. Local legends say it served as a lookout cave during the border wars. From there, the people of Sotkamo watched for enemies appearing on Lake Kiimanen. If an enemy was spotted on the horizon, the guard had to quickly light a signal fire.”

Welcome to explore the hilly terrains of Kainuu and write your own orienteering story on its slopes!

This article was published in collaboration with Vuokatti-Jukola 2027 and Kainuu Orienteering Week. The first part of this series introduces the kettle hole (suoppa) terrains of Kainuu. Read it here: https://www.rastiviikko.fi/en/news/tips-for-kettle-hole-terrain-orienteering-kainuu