Tracing the Past in Stone – Reflections from the shores of Lake Puruvesi

During my stay at Mäntyranta campsite in Kesälahti, on the shores of Lake Puruvesi in North Karelia, I was struck not only by the peaceful beauty of the place, but by the silent presence of the rocks—large boulders and stones scattered across the landscape, many resting on the sandy beach or nestled among the trees. Their surfaces were smoothed by time, and something about them felt ancient, purposeful, almost poetic.

These rocks are known as erratics—massive stones transported across vast distances by glacial ice during the last Ice Age. As the glaciers moved, they carried with them fragments of the earth, dropping them thousands of years later, far from where they originated. Finland’s landscape is shaped by these movements, and here at Mäntyranta, you can see the evidence everywhere. The ice once carved its way through this region, leaving behind not only the lakes and smooth outcrops, but these stone witnesses to deep time.

The campsite itself is quietly charming. Located on a gently sloping, sandy beach with beautifully clear water, it’s part of the larger Lake Saimaa system—Finland’s largest lake network. Mäntyranta offers cottages, tent and caravan spots, saunas, and even boat rentals. But what I found most captivating was the natural world all around me: the way the sunlight hits the stones, the breeze moving through the trees, and the stillness that invites reflection.

It’s easy, walking these grounds, to feel connected to something bigger than yourself—to think about those who came before, to imagine ancient ice sheets grinding their way across this very land, and to marvel at how nature shapes the stories we now walk through.