Urho Kekkonen National Park

From Sodankylä, Road 4 (E 75) runs north, passing the two large reservoirs of Porttipahta and Lokka, and comes in just under 100km/62mi to Vuotso, where the first road signs in the Sami language appear. At Tankavaara visitors can see something of the old gold-digging tradition (museum village, Gold Museum) and can try their hand at washing for gold. Here too is the information center of the Urho Kekkonen National Park, an area of 2,550sq.km/985sq.mi extending to the Russian frontier. On the borders of the National Park (30km/19mi farther on) is the skiing and holiday area of Saariselkä. From the summit of Kaunispää (438m/1,437ft) there are extensive views of the surrounding country - particularly impressive in the light of the midnight sun