Kempele

Kempele combines a long network of cycling and hiking trails with notable examples of North Ostrobothnia’s history. When planning your trip, you can therefore consider whether you would like to focus on outdoor activities, church art or rural life in the region. The location of the railway station in the town centre also provides a practical reference point as you prepare for your stay in Kempele.

Cycling and hiking on Köykkyrin retkireitistö

The Köykkyrin retkireitistö trail network is 36 kilometres long in total and is intended for cycling and hiking. It includes five loop trails. This makes it a clearly defined option for anyone who wants to combine a visit to Kempele with activities on the trails. The number of loop trails and the total length describe the network; they do not indicate the length of any individual loop. If you enjoy spending your days outdoors, you can make the trail network one of the priorities when choosing where to stay.

Along Köykkyrin retkireitistö, there are three campfire sites and Marjakammi, a place to rest. These add specific spots for a break along the way to the trail description. The campfire sites and resting place are different facilities: the former are designated as campfire sites, and Marjakammi as a resting place. Together with the five loop trails, they make up an outdoor attraction distinct from Kempele’s cultural sights.

The Old Church and North Ostrobothnian history

Kempele’s Old Church is one of Finland’s eleven surviving valuable pillar-supported churches. Its walls and vault feature painted wooden images by Mikael Toppelius and Emanuel Granberg. The paintings date from 1785–1786 and 1795. The different dates refer to the paintings; they do not indicate a single year of completion. Anyone interested in church architecture and historical painting will find here a different way to experience Kempele than on the trails of Köykkyrin retkireitistö.

The Old Church’s 26-metre-high tower also once served as a navigational aid for seafarers. This historical function adds a maritime connection to the church’s story, without describing its present-day purpose. Kirkonmäki is another distinct feature of the area: it is protected under Finland’s Church Act. The architecture, paintings and protected status offer several specific points of interest when exploring Kempele’s cultural heritage.

Local history museum and landscape

Kempele’s local history museum presents a typical North Ostrobothnian farmstead. Its distinctive features include Finland’s only soldiers’ cottage and only peat hut. These buildings and the description of the farmstead draw attention to rural life in North Ostrobothnia. If you are more interested in everyday life and building history than church art, you can include the museum as a separate cultural focus in your travel plans.

South of Kempele lies Limingan lakeus, a nationally valuable landscape area. This location adds a landscape perspective to the cultural themes. Kempele therefore offers a range of interests: a network of cycling and hiking trails, the Old Church, the local history museum and the landscape area to the south. You can decide which of these matters most to your stay, rather than reducing Kempele to a single sight.

Getting here and other destinations

Kempele railway station is located in the town centre at Asemantie 12, Kempele. The address helps you locate the station within the town.

If you would like to include other destinations in your search, you can also find Karhula, Arvaja, Raahe, Haapavesi, Lavia, Pudasjärvi, Juuma and Paimio.

For the broader travel overview: North Ostrobothnia.