The town of Ylivieska stands near the western coast of Finland, 318 miles north of Helsinki. The regional centre of Oulu is 81 miles north. The Kalajoki River runs right through the town centre on its way to the Baltic at the seaside resort of Kalajoki, 15 miles west, where there are long sandy beaches. Ylivieska is something of a communications hub in western Finland, it not only stands on a major river, but also has a station on the important rail route heading from Helsinki to Rovaniemi. Three major roads also meet here, so if you hire a car in Ylivieska it’s very easy to get around the surrounding countryside.