Iso-Valkee is a beautiful little lake with sandy beaches, lean-to shelters and a nature trail. This area is especially popular among swimmers and divers, ice-skaters, dog owners and geocachers. The trail around the lake is 3,7 km long. Water in the lake is crystal clear, which is not that common in the Finnish lakes.
I went to Iso-Valkee in November, a day before the snow, and I didn't see any swimmers. The lake was partly open as it is up to 24 meters deep and has some natural springs....
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...
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...
Torronsuo National Park is the closest national park to where I grew up and I have visited it many times since it was opened in 1990. It is one of my favorite locations to go for a walk on the duckboards and I like to go cross-country skiing on the bog in the winters. I have my secret spots for cranberry picking and I occasionally like to climb to one of its birdwatching towers at Kiljamo.
On a good winter during the months of January-March Torronsuo might have up to 45 kilometers of...
