Hossan Lomakeskus, operated by Norwide, is an odd combo of newly built ‘hotel rooms’, looking like giant beach-huts in terraced rows, and old-style and slightly run down camping cabins. I chose to stay in one of the cabins, since they have their own sauna and basic cooking facilities and, being detached units, give greater privacy. Their rustic feel is also somehow more ‘authentic’, despite their need for repairs and upgrading. All accommodations are built on the lakeside, about 30 m from the water, and the complex has a restaurant and bar offering breakfast and dinner. Modernisation of the cottages would doubtless give them more allure, but they are perfectly functional for one or two persons for one or two nights, and give a nice feel of what a holiday cottage traditionally meant for Finns in years gone by. There is no wifi that my computer could detect, so make sure your device has an inbuilt SIM card if you want to communicate with the outside world. The location is perfect for day-hiking in Hossa National Park, just a few km away, but the nearest real towns (Kuusamo or Suomussalmi) are 80-100 km or so distant, so shop there in advance of arrival, if you plan to be self-catering. My cabin had washing up liquid, but nothing else, not even salt and pepper. The complex does have its own petrol pumps, offering 98E5 and diesel. Hossan Lomakeskus is also ideally situated for two of Finland’s most spectacular attractions, despite them remaining little known. The first is the canyon lake of Julma Ölkky, best seen by a boat excursion, with its towering cliffs adorned with ancient rock carvings, and the bear-viewing excursions offered by Hossan Karhut, where you are likely to see many bears in a 5-6 hour (or even overnight) session in a comfortable hide. On the negative side, I needed to watch my step when using the rickety and warped wooden stairway to my cabin entrance, the toilet was leaking unpredictably and the interior fittings were very tired.…