Explore the nature of Finland
All I knew about Valkmusa National Park before parking my car at the start of a circular route on a late autumn afternoon was that it was in southeastern Finland. That's it. By chance, I noticed that my route elsewhere would take me past Valkmusa so it was the perfect excuse for me to get out and stretch my legs. As soon as I got out of my car, I noticed how quiet it...
If you have already checked out the largest and most impressive rapids at Imatrankoski, another great nature place to visit at Imatra is Malonsaari island. Popular among the locals, the peaceful and small 1km-long Malonsaari is one of the many islands located just outside of Imatra. I visited it on a Sunday afternoon, and I gave myself a lot of time to enjoy the...
Dark green pine forests, shining blue lakes, magnificent high fjells, and the open sky as far as the eye can see. That is what you have at Koli, which is probably the most famous of all Finnish landscapes. I have visited Koli several times and every single time when I climb those last few steps to the top of the hill and stop, I am silenced by the majesty of the...
First sunny and warm day of spring blessed our trip to the Southern Konnevesi National Park in Rautalampi in the beginning of April. It took less than 1½ hours to drive from Jyväskylä on spring roads. Before the trip we checked beforehand how the Kalaja trail and road conditions will be like. It was still early spring and we thought there might be plenty of snow on...
National parks in Finland are attracting millions of visitors every year. There are 40 national parks in Finland, all of them distinct from one another. Which are the most visited national parks in Finland? What are their special characteristics? When was the oldest national park established? Which is the biggest? Read more to find out which national park you should...
I have driven past a sign pointing to Salpa-asema dozens of times on my way but only a few years ago I stopped to explore this area in southeastern Finland for the first time. You don't immediately understand the significance of the area because the area is very humble and unassuming but it is a nature area where one of the most important Finnish defences...
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...
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…)
Kummakivi means "strange rock" in Finnish. It is a fitting name for a huge balancing rock in the middle of nowhere in Eastern Finland, more specifically at Ruokolahti. (more…)
Mushroom picking in Finland is a popular hobby and even an income for some. It is allowed by everyman's rights, and Finland really is mushroom picker's paradise. There are thousands of types of mushroom and few hundred of those are edible. Most of the edible mushrooms are collected from end of August to October. Mushrooms mainly grow in forests, but they can also be found in parks, fields and...