Paakkila: Mining History and Diving Site

Paakkila brings together a long mining history, a diving site, and a location near two large bodies of water. The village stretches along both sides of the main road; Rikkavesi and Juojärvi provide additional landmarks in the landscape. This offers different interests to explore during your stay: local history, diving, swimming, and the surrounding area. Permission from the private landowner is an important planning consideration for dives.

Paakkila at a glance

• Asbestos mining in Paakkila lasted from 1904 to 1975; the asbestos mined was anthophyllite.
• Paakkila is on Main Road 9, roughly halfway between Kuopio and Joensuu.
• The large bodies of water Rikkavesi and Juojärvi are near the village.
• The Paakkila open-pit mine is about 30 meters deep at its center; visibility can reach up to 20 meters.
• At Paakkilan uimaranta beach, the water is clear and the bottom is sandy.

Mining history in Paakkila

Anthophyllite asbestos mining shaped Paakkila for decades: it lasted from 1904 to 1975. Paakkila was a lively mining community until the asbestos mined there began to harm people’s lives. This history is part of the village’s character and gives a visit a tangible historical dimension.

The documentary “Asbestikylä” also explores the area’s mining past. It was filmed in Paakkila in the autumn of 1977, two years after the asbestos mine closed. The timeline runs from many years of mining, through its end, to a filmic exploration of the village. The asbestos open-pit mine is closed and has been restored.

When planning a trip, it is worth distinguishing this industrial history from diving at the Paakkila open-pit mine: the historical account of mining does not mean that a former mining site can be visited without restrictions. Diving is subject to its own permission requirements. Those interested in the history can explore the subject through the years of mining, the changes to life in the mining community, and the 1977 film.

Diving at the Paakkila open-pit mine

The Paakkila open-pit mine is described as suitable for scuba diving, cave diving, and freediving. Diving access is regulated: permission from the private landowner is required for dives. Local diving clubs have permission that remains valid until further notice; divers travelling from farther away must notify the owner of their arrival. This requirement should be included in your plans if diving is the main reason for your stay.

The measurements give an idea of the underwater landscape. The water is about 30 meters deep at the center, and visibility can reach up to 20 meters. At a depth of 28 meters is the entrance to a tunnel. It leads to a smaller open-pit mine about 160 meters away; its cave entrance is at a depth of 15 meters. These details identify several locations and depths rather than reducing the dive site to a single figure.

Underwater attractions include a railway carriage, a car, and a motorcycle. There is also the opening of a hoisting shaft that descends deep underground from the edge of the open-pit mine. Guide lines run between the attractions to help with navigation. The same dive site therefore brings together visible objects, a shaft opening, and the described tunnel connections.

Navigation on land is also taken into account: next to the fire pit is an information board with a map of the open-pit mine. At the edge of the larger open-pit mine there is a shelter and a fire pit; a reasonable amount of firewood may be burned. A sturdy concrete jetty with benches is available for putting on diving gear. There is also a dry toilet. Divers should bring toilet paper or bedding material.

Landscape, water, and getting there

Paakkila is near Rikkavesi and Juojärvi. The village itself extends along both sides of the main road. Its location on Main Road 9 is also useful for finding it on a map: Paakkila is roughly halfway between Kuopio and Joensuu. This is a general indication, not a specific travel time.

The municipality lists several ways to reach Paakkila: by boat, car, seaplane, snowmobile, on foot, or by bicycle. Which option suits your trip depends on how you would like to travel. The list describes modes of travel; it does not provide information about timetables or connections.

The landscape offers more than the two nearby bodies of water. The terrain around Susijärvi and Tulikallio is hilly. Clear water and a sandy bottom are defining features of Paakkilan uimaranta beach. The village profile thus brings together a named beach, the two large nearby bodies of water, and the hilly terrain around Susijärvi and Tulikallio, without implying that the same conditions apply at every location.

Travel interests and finding accommodation

When choosing the focus of your trip, you can consider mining history, diving, and water or landscape. If you are visiting Paakkila for the dive site, include the permission requirement and the notification to the owner required of divers travelling from elsewhere in your plans. For a stay focused on local history, the years of mining, its effects on life in the mining community, and the 1977 documentary take center stage. The beach and hilly landscape offer other specific themes for your trip.

You can also tailor your hotel search to these interests: first consider whether mining history, a dive requiring permission, or the connection to water and landscape will shape your stay. For more destinations, you can also explore Karttula, Rautalampi, Pörsänmäki, Vesanto, Nilsiä, Kiuruvesi, Siilinjärvi, and Tervo.

Frequently asked questions about Paakkila

How long was asbestos mined in Paakkila?

Mining lasted from 1904 to 1975. Anthophyllite asbestos was mined in Paakkila.

What permission do divers need?

Permission from the private landowner is required for dives at the Paakkila open-pit mine. Local diving clubs have permission that remains valid until further notice; divers travelling from farther away must notify the owner of their arrival.

How deep is the Paakkila open-pit mine?

The water is about 30 meters deep at the center; visibility can reach up to 20 meters. The tunnel entrance is at a depth of 28 meters.

What is distinctive about Paakkilan uimaranta beach?

The water is described as clear, and the bottom is sandy.

How can you get to Paakkila?

Paakkila is on Main Road 9, roughly halfway between Kuopio and Joensuu. The listed ways to travel there are by boat, car, seaplane, snowmobile, on foot, and by bicycle.

For the broader travel overview: North Savo.