Tarja, Author at Out in the Nature

The Rantaraitti seaside promenade in Espoo shows you the best of the capital area

November 15th, 2018Tarja0 Comments

Rantaraitti seaside promenade and waterfront walkway in Espoo, in Finland's capital area

Whether you prefer a slow, gentle stroll along the seaside or a more strenuous trail running experience, the Rantaraitti (seaside promenade or the waterfront walkway) in Espoo, Finland's second biggest city is the thing to do. It literally has it all: possibilities for berry and mushroom picking, cycling, running and walking, the sea and forests, gentle paved and accessible paths as well as demanding trails in the adjoining forests, fishing and bird watching opportunities, benches...

Mustavuori caves, fortress, and WWI trenches in Vuosaari, Helsinki

October 27th, 2018Tarja0 Comments

Mustavuori (Black Mountain) is a place where history and natural wonders have been forever mixed together. It is one of the most exciting places outdoors Helsinki has, and it is perfectly suited for adventurers of all ages. It has to be said at this stage that children must not run around in the area because the super-exciting caves and trenches do appear out of nowhere.

We stepped onto the well-covered hiking trail just next to Itäväylä (road 170) in Vuosaari. There...

Leafy-green Ekudden nature trail in Porvoo

October 25th, 2018Tarja0 Comments

In one of the most beautiful towns in Finland, Porvoo, you can also find the Ekudden (oak cape or peninsula) nature trail that showcases many of the various vistas Finland has to offer. The nature trail is located 3km (1,9mi) from the centre of Porvoo, and it is about 1,5km long. You would think that this is a short trail but it has so many wonderful distractions on its route that you should definitely give yourself 1-2h to go around it. Combining Ekudden with a visit to old Porvoo with...

Gallträsk – a gentle nature stroll in Kauniainen, Finland’s smallest municipality

October 23rd, 2018Tarja0 Comments

Kauniainen is Finland's smallest municipality, only 6km2 (2,3mi2) in diameter, located in the middle of another municipality, Espoo. It has a lovely small lake area that is perfectly suitable for a lazy stroll to enjoy the absolutely huge spruce trees and leafy green oak trees. The area is only about 15km from the centre of Helsinki and easily accessible by car or by public transport, so a perfect place for a quick relaxing visit.

My friend and I were in the area when we, quite literally,...

Autumn colours and ruska in Lapland, Finland

September 17th, 2018Tarja0 Comments

Having four distinctive seasons is definitely a huge benefit for those living in Finland. Every year in the autumn we enjoy our third colour explosion of the year when autumn colours arrive. Lapland, the area above the Arctic circle, is one of the best places to see autumn colours because of its unique nature which means autumn colours arrive in one area in a whoosh.

I was visiting Finnish Lapland happily in this exact moment but there with me in Lapland were thousands of tourists who had...

The Devil’s Loop and Neitvuori mountain at Anttola, Finland

September 13th, 2018Tarja0 Comments

We were driving around through the scenic wonderland of Lakeland Finland and decided we wanted to see the views from a higher vantage point. We scoured the maps and saw that Neitvuori (means Maid Mountain in Finnish) is one of the highest peaks in the area, a good 184m (600ft) above sea level so it would provide us with great views over Saimaa lakes. We drove from Savonlinna towards Neitvuori along road 62 because it also offered us great views while we were driving through small villages,...

Stunning turquoise natural spring Kiikunlähde at Hollola

September 10th, 2018Tarja0 Comments

If you see something unbelievably beautiful, make sure you don't destroy it and do your best to preserve it for the next generation to enjoy. This was the case with Kiikunlähde spring in Hollola: it is enchanting and breath-takingly beautiful but easily destroyed by tourists who don't take make sure they protect it. (more…)

Observation tower and Stone Age views at Luhdanjoki, Finland

September 8th, 2018Tarja0 Comments

When I was climbing up the seemingly-endless stairs of the observation tower in Luhdanjohki, I wondered why I always seem to choose places to see that are very high up. It's not that I'm afraid of heights but I just always feel that by the time I get up to the top, I know I seriously need to exercise more. In any case, my little teenage friends were almost flying up the stairs and didn't seem winded at all. Well, good for them!

How did we end up in a tower then? Well, some...

Troy Town rock maze in Nauvo archipelago

September 7th, 2018Tarja0 Comments

We were coming from the town of Parainen, which is located on the so-called Ring Road of the southern Finnish archipelago. It was a beautiful summer's day so my mother and I decided to experience something new. We set the course towards a Troy Town called the Maiden's dance rock maze in Finby, Nauvo (the exact name on our navigator was Finbyn jatulintarha, Nauvo). As Nauvo is an island, we drove to the edge of the Turku archipelago and Lillmalö island where the ferry departs to...

Finest rock art in Finland at Astuvansalmi

September 4th, 2018Tarja0 Comments

Almost being able to touch a handprint left by someone 5000 years ago is one of the reasons the rock paintings of Astuvansalmi take your breath away. (more…)