Finland

Learning about Sami culture

In Inari, the Siida Museum on the Sámi culture and the environment of Northern Lapland gave a little insight with a lot of information and an open air part, where we could have a look at typical houses and other buildings. Afterwards we were on our way to the border to Norway. A temporary exhibition …

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Urho Kekkonen National Park

At this National Park named after Urho Kekkonen, the late President and Prime Minister of Finland, we had reached a landscape typical for Lapland: bare hills called fell which we went to explore. On the Kilopää fell a species of birch which grows only on the Kilopää and Saaroselkä fells. It has a twisted and relatively …

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Crossing the Arctic Circle

Today we crossed the Artic Circle rather unspectacularly, but the next hike at Pyhä with its 2 billion year old mountains was truly fascinating. Northern Finland – Reindeer area! And here they are, often next to the road – No bump, no line on the ground, no warnings, … Maybe I need this cap: “I’ve …

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The famous Bear’s Trail

In Northern Karelia the Oulanka NP is famous for its 80km long hiking route called the bear trail. We did the little bear trail “Pieni Karhunkierros”, which was a 3 hour circular route. The landscape was spectacular, nothing else to expect in Finland! We had been to Kuusamo the day before to do some shopping, …

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A Karelian autumn day

What a sucessful day! After we went for a hike to the rapids of Ruunaa near Lieksa, we visited Karelian houses and Edi found this wonderful boletus. The day ended of course at another camp fire. We had spent the night at the River Lieksanjoki, where we had a campfire in the evening. (Campfire Nr. …

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