Giant's Kettles at Aholanvaara

Remote glacial potholes reached by a rough forest trail south of Salla.

The giant's kettles at Aholanvaara are a set of glacial potholes carved into bedrock south of Salla. They are not a quick roadside stop: the access trail is rough, steep in places, and can be slippery, but that effort is part of the appeal.

Come with proper shoes and enough time to walk the nature trail slowly. The best moments are not only the potholes themselves, but the sense of moving through a quiet forest landscape where geology, water, and ice have left strange marks.

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A story
One of the potholes, Juomapata, is often described locally as Finland's largest giant's kettle. The smooth-sided basins were drilled by stones spinning in meltwater under or beside ancient ice.

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