Narrow eskers between lake basins
At the end of the last glacial period, at the bottom of the glacier melt water flowed in glacial river tunnels. In these tunnels sand and gravel carried and sorted by water deposited into long and fragmentary ridges. Esker landscapes have been a source of inspiration for many artists.
One of the most famous esker ridge paintings in Finland is Albert Edelfelt’s Kaukolanharju at sunset. The dark-colored esker of the work stands out well from the lake landscape gilded with afterglow.
The Saimaa seal trail runs through a meandering esker landscape. On the slopes of the esker ridge you can see ancient beaches as memories of the times when the water level of Lake Saimaa was higher, as well as kettle holes and ponds of different shapes and sizes.
Albert Edelfelt (1854-1905): Kaukolanharju at sunset, 1889-1890 (116.5x83 cm), Ateneum Art Museum. Photo: Finnish National Gallery
Kaukolanharju is located in Tammela on the strait between Kuivajärvi and Pyhäjärvi. Edelfet made the first drafts of Kaukolanharju while staying in the area in October 1888.
