We reach the Lemström Canal in good time for the bridge opening at 15:00, and after a short wait, we can pass through the canal. We travel the last stretch to Mariehamn under engine power.

At around 15:45, the harbor master greets us - in his dinghy - at the harbor entrance and brings us to our berth.

After securing the boat, I set off to explore the town. Mariehamn has about 11,000 inhabitants and is the seat of the Parliament of Åland.

As the morning progresses, the wind picks up and around noon our course aligns, prompting us to set sail.
At approximately 3:15 PM, we cross the border into the Åland Islands.

At around 6:00 PM, we reach the harbor of Likholm on the island of Enklinge and tie up at the guest dock.

At around 11:00 AM, we leave the guest harbor of Turku. In search of a suitable shop, we cruise for 3.5 hours through the archipelagos and harbors of Turku. Unfortunately, without success. The tiller extension must wait until we reach Stockholm or find a suitable shop in the Ålands.

We bid farewell to Turku and head back into the archipelago, looking for a sheltered anchorage south of the island of Ruotsalainen around 7:30 PM.

The weather is summery, 25° partly cloudy and a bit humid.

After a shower and a relaxed breakfast, I explore the city. Although Turku in Finland is a large city, it has fewer residents than Braunschweig. At the same time, Turku is the oldest city in Finland.

The promenade along the river is long and very beautiful. The city center seems to be stuck somewhere between the 70s and today. The market hall is likely the most popular tourist destination in the city, but unfortunately closed today.

Due to the onset of heavy rain, I return to the ship after visiting the parks on the left riverbank and a brief stop at the supermarket. The remainder of the afternoon remains gray and rainy.

The wind initially blew weakly and later moderately from the northeast. Due to the partially narrow waterways, we traveled the entire distance under engine power. Occasionally, we were able to raise the genoa for assistance, but unfortunately, this was rarely the case.

We wound our way through the beautiful archipelago of Turku. We squeezed through very narrow waterways and passages and passed two bridges that were just high enough.

Towards the end, we had to briefly leave the waterway to make way for a ferry from Stockholm.

After almost 9 hours and a smooth 40 nautical miles, we docked at the guest harbor in Turku.

With this, we have reached the southeasternmost destination of this trip. Tomorrow, I will explore the city, and on Monday, we will head back out into the archipelago.
This time heading west to the Åland Islands.

As soon as it was possible again, we dove back into the archipelago.

After about 9.5 hours and 43 nautical miles, we look for our anchorage for the night in the archipelago. 

We set off in good time to cover as much distance as possible before the wind is expected to pick up around 1:00 PM.
We leave the harbor at around 9:00 AM and weave our way south through the - sometimes - very narrow waterways.

The weather forecast is surpassed by the wind. Instead of picking up around 1:00 PM, the wind becomes noticeably stronger before 11:00 AM.

We end our journey today after about 5 hours and approximately 20 nautical miles in Rauma. Here we must leave the archipelago, as the bridges over the following waterways are too low. 
In strong wind from the northwest, it gets very uncomfortable on the open sea.

I use the afternoon for a leisurely walk in the old town of Rauma.

Tomorrow the wind is expected to die down again, and then we will continue.

Since the bridges between the islands are too low, we must leave the archipelago and opt for the route over the open sea. Here, we not only have a fresh wind from the northwest but also plenty of swell.

Later, we dive back into the archipelago and reach the guest harbor of Laitakarin Satama around 6:30 PM.

The wind is blowing lightly from the northwest, and the swell is moderate. We keep the sails packed and run the entire day under motor.

After about 3.5 hours, we can dive back into the archipelago and meander further south.

Around 6:30 PM, we reach the harbor of Korookka and dock at the guest pier.

On Sunday, the weather report predicted continuous rain.
It did indeed rain heavily, but it stopped after about 2 hours.
Surrounding us were dark clouds, but it didn't rain anymore.

On Monday, continuous rain was also forecasted, and this time the weather report was accurate. It rained without significant interruption from morning until evening. 

We depart from the harbor around 09:15 and are able to continue sailing southward with a moderate wind. By noon, strong thunderstorms roll in over the land. Fortunately, they remain over land, and no rain falls at sea.

As the thunderstorms come in, the wind calms down, and we turn back to the engine. 

By evening, we dive back into the archipelago and wind our way through the islands to the guest harbor of Kaskinen.

The weather continues to worsen, and by around 1:30 PM, the sky turns black. A severe thunderstorm brews, bringing 15 minutes of heavy rain along with lightning and thunder.

Since the weather is expected to remain rainy and stormy for the rest of the day, we look for a sheltered harbor early on.

By around 3:00 PM, we make moor behind the old ferry dock of Bergön at the guest dock.

I make my first attempt at a supplier directly at the harbor. Unfortunately, they only deal with motorboats and engines.
They referred me to a boat supplier in the city, about 4 km away.

I set off on foot and find the supplier right away.
Unfortunately, they can only provide the suitable tank in at least 2 weeks. However, they can obtain a compatible tank from another manufacturer in a short time. It will be available tomorrow or on Friday.
With a slight detour through the city, I return to the harbor.

This morning is marked by drizzle. Around 12:00, the boat supplier calls to inform me that the tank has arrived.

In order to install the new tank quickly, I skip my walk today and use an e-scooter. 

After returning, I immediately install the tank. When filling it with water, I regret to find that the inlet fitting is leaking.
Drain the water again and reseal the fitting.
Refill the water and find that the suction line fitting bends when the tank is full. The 'old' tank had a bent connector. The straight connector on this tank does not work.

So, back on the e-scooter and again to the other end of the city, to the hardware store. Since the local hardware stores - for inexplicable reasons, concerning pipe fittings - are poorly sorted, the search takes a bit longer. After I find suitable parts, it's back to the harbor.

Once the parts are installed, the tank can be filled again, and this time the suction hose does not bend anymore. 

After everything is restored and the last water is removed from the bilge, it's finally time to call it a day!

Tomorrow we will continue our journey south. 

After about 2 hours, the wind dies down, and we continue our journey under engine power. Soon after, we dive back into the archipelago and weave our way through the islands to the guest harbor of Vaasa.

Tomorrow, we need to take care of a new water tank here.
It has a leak and is flooding the bilge with drinking water.
Let's see how well the boat suppliers are sorted here.

After breakfast, I set off to the supermarket to replenish our supplies. Unfortunately, the nearest supermarket is 2.5 km away.
When I return, my back is not happy.

After we have filled up the water tank, we set out towards the skerries by motor around 2:00 PM. The wind has completely died down. Thanks to yesterday's offshore wind, the sea is mirror smooth.

After 22 nautical miles, we reach the island of Hällskatan and tie up to a still unfinished pier. We are also the only boat here.

The sky is clouding over again and the next thunderstorm is on its way.

Around 06:30, we release the lines and leave the harbor with a light breeze. After the skerries are behind us, we set sail and can, as hoped, continue traveling southwest.

Around 11:00, the clouds intensify very darkly. A look at the weather report now indicates a strong thunderstorm front.
Shortly after, it begins to rain heavily, and the wind steadily increases to storm strength.

The sails are quickly reefed, and we can weather the storm without having to alter our course. By around 14:45, the ordeal is over.

By 15:30, we are back in the skerries, winding our way through the islands towards Jakobstad, amidst occasional heavy downpours.

In sunshine, these narrow channels would surely be beautiful.

By 19:30, after ~50 nautical miles, we dock at the guest harbor of Jakobstad. How could it be any different? Just in time for docking, it's pouring again.

Tomorrow, the wind is expected to shift to the south and later to the east. It will be coming from land and not from the sea. Therefore, the wind should be significantly warmer and the swell less pronounced.

Once we leave the fairway, we can set the sails and follow the Finnish coast to the southwest.

Unfortunately, the wind weakens and shifts to the southwest. Therefore, we take down the sails and continue under engine power. The swell is still strong and gently rocks us throughout the day.

Around 17:15, we reach the port of Kalajoki and dock at the guest pier.

Today, we aim to reach Raahe. On our last attempt almost exactly 4 years ago, a rock obstructed our path and damaged the keel foundation so severely that water started to leak in, forcing us to abandon the trip here.

The wind is noticeably calm, allowing us to cover the entire distance under engine power.

The entrance to the harbor through the archipelago is beautiful! I didn't notice it at all the last time.

Around 14:30, we dock at exactly the same spot as last time. Today is also the first day when we can go ashore in shorts and a T-shirt. Maybe summer will still arrive up here.

After leaving the harbor, we battle against wind and waves for 2 hours until we can turn the bow south, unfortunately not!
The Finns have built a bridge here. The passage has not yet been opened.

This forces us to go around the island of Hailuoto. A detour of 30 nautical miles and another 3 hours against wind and waves until we can finally turn south. However, by now the wind has calmed down and we continue under engine power until we reach the harbor of Marjaniemi around 7:30 PM.

Our actual destination was Raahe, which we will now head for tomorrow.

The wind is expected to be weak to moderate from the northwest to west until noon today and then significantly pick up again. We aim to be in Oulu by then.

We advance well with the following wind and reach the navigable waters through the offshore islands just in time before the wind strengthens – earlier than predicted. At least the strong swell is spared from us due to the land shelter. We reef the sails and still make good progress with significantly less sail area.

Around 3:00 PM, we reach the harbor entrance and weave our way past harbor, industrial, and park facilities to the guest harbor in the city center.

At about 3:30 PM, we dock and head out for shopping. After 5 days without supply options, our supplies have run low.

Since we are already awake, we have breakfast and weigh anchor around 8:30 AM. It's a tough job, as it got deeply embedded during the strong winds last night.

We leave our anchorage heading southeast, thus also leaving Sweden. Just a few miles from our anchorage begins Finland.

With a fresh westerly wind, we continue southeast in choppy seas towards the harbor of Vatunginnokka. Around 4:00 PM local time, we dock at the guest pier.

Finland has its own summer time, which is 1 hour ahead of Central European Time.

A huge bonus of a longer city trip is (at least we feel that way) the opportunity to leave the city behind and explore the nature of the country in a relatively short time.

And Helsinki is truly a prime example of such a short vacation, as the vast Nuuksio National Park ( https://www.visitfinland.com/de/produkt/b55ef53e-4a9f-46b4-a116-f5aed5a5c8ad/nuuksio-national-park/ ) is only an hour away by public transport.

We initially chose Helsinki, among other reasons, because we wanted to go dog sledding! However, when we started browsing providers and saw the prices, this activity was quickly removed from our plans.

We had already pointed out in previous blog entries the outrageous prices, especially for alcohol. The dog sledding excursions were each around €800-900 for a maximum of three hours! We found that a bit too expensive and not proportional to the activity.

Of course, everyone can see it differently :-)

So we continued searching and stumbled upon Mikko (www.finnishfriend.com) and his offer for snowshoeing in the national park.

Since at least I always assume that thousands of people have the same idea as I do and want to book the same activity on the same day, we didn't hesitate and booked a day tour with a picnic and campfire.

HA! We probably got ahead of the thousands minus one people.

The day before, however, we first headed to the national park without a guide and took the train and bus via Espoo.

Our destination is a small reindeer park on the edge of the national park, where seven reindeer live, including a completely white female.

Unfortunately, this trip turned out to be a little tourist trap, as the park, or rather the walkable area of the park, is really small. You get a bucket full of lichen and feed the animals akin to a wildlife park back home. To warm up, you can at least get coffee, tea, and cinnamon rolls in the large tipi by the open fire. Nice and necessary at -17 degrees. But for a total of €64 entry, it feels a bit sparse. We can now understand why the operator estimates the average stay to be an hour and recommends it. Overall, it’s cute, but very touristy.

So we use the time until the next bus arrives for a little hike to the next place, which is about 2 km away. Movement and winter wonderland warm the body and heart at least as much as feeding reindeer and having coffee by the campfire.

Here, we get what we believe is a first glimpse of the day with Mikko tomorrow. A winding trail through the forest, completely all to ourselves. You can neither hear cars nor other people. And of course, everything is covered in snow!

Just for that, the journey was worth it. And the animals brought a broad smile to Ida's face, so this trip can definitely be accounted for as a success.

Tourist fun or not…

Back at the hotel, we don't have much time to rest, because the next Helsinki classic awaits us.

A sauna visit is a must; we definitely wanted to do that.

Helsinki has several public saunas, but they should be reserved in advance, especially on weekends, as both tourists like us and locals want to experience this Finnish tradition up close, or use it regularly.

So we booked tickets for a 2-hour slot in advance and after returning to the hotel, we grabbed our bags to be at the sauna on time at 5 PM at the harbor.

Despite missing the tram, we made it to the ticket shop in time, where we just need to check in.

However, thanks to the staff, we realize that unfortunately, we are at the wrong sauna.

“Allas” (the owner chain) owns two saunas in Helsinki, and we have (it suddenly comes back to us) booked the sauna on a small island off Helsinki! Because the one we are currently visiting is too touristy and modern. Because we do not want to sauna in the harbor basin like on display. Everything suddenly becomes as clear as the Finnish air! Just somehow a bit late...and now?

According to Google Maps, it is only two kilometers, but one of those must be walked because the tram only goes up to a kilometer from the dock leading to the island.

So taking the train plus walking would be quite time-consuming, and we try our luck with an Uber driver who just happens to be at the sauna. However, he is not just there by chance; he is waiting for four ladies behind us who look at us somewhat confused. We apologize and hurry to a taxi 20 meters away, but here too, we hope in vain. The driver says the distance is too short!

Yes... and for us, it's too long to walk!

Funny guy, the Finn.

So we have no choice but to start walking towards the tram, which we (surprise) miss by seconds.

“Perkele”

Nearly giving up our already shortened sauna visit, another Uber driver stops who is free AND willing to drive us the two kilometers to the dock.

Here, we also see for the first time the reason why there were no traffic fatalities in Helsinki last year. The driver drives so stoically relaxed, tells us about this and that, never exceeding 30 km/h in his Tesla, and overall, he seems like a Nordic Buddha!

We still estimate that we would have been slower on foot and are grateful for the ride.

So we arrive “only” 30 minutes late to our booked time slot, slip out of our clothes, and into the (typically Finnish) textile sauna! At least we knew this and are prepared with swimwear and hotel bathrobe!

First, we head to a tiny sauna, one of only two, that tempts with a panoramic window overlooking the frozen Baltic Sea. Unfortunately, this little sauna can only accommodate 4-5 people, so the door often opens and is closed again by disappointed sauna-goers, which in turn causes those inside to constantly pour water and try infusion after infusion. Unfortunately, this only results in it being wetter, not really hotter. So it's more of a wooden steam bath at 50 degrees than a hot Finnish sauna!

No matter, the first experience is very satisfying, because just the fact that we are sitting in a sauna in Helsinki brings smiles to all our faces!

After warming up somewhat, we decide to take our first cooling off. This is about 50 meters away in the form of a hole in the ice of the Baltic Sea.

Ida prefers to roll in the snow; we dare (I first only up to the waist, the second time then completely) to immerse ourselves up to the neck in the icy water. Suddenly, the -18-degree outside temperature for a very short time doesn’t seem so cold anymore!

We manage a total of three sauna sessions, preferring the larger sauna except for the first. The right of the most frequent pourer applies here as well, but at least it remains largely consistently hot!

What we notice is that in Finland, the sauna seems to be used more for socializing with beer, wine, and champagne instead of quiet enjoyment. Apparently, the stoically calm Finn truly comes alive at 80-90 degrees. It gets noisier at times than in some German train stations, and we wonder how the typical German sauna-goer would react here.

Probably with a loud “SHHHHHTTTT” from the bottom of their soul!

In any case, despite or actually because of all the obstacles on the way, different customs, and the whole atmosphere on this small island, we are completely satisfied with the sauna excursion. And with the day as a whole anyway!

Tomorrow will continue, and it will (as confirmed later) be the absolute highlight of our vacation!

The next day, Mikko picks us up at 10 AM at the hotel with his van and drives with us nearly 40 minutes out to the national park.

However, he emphasizes with a bit of pride that it is still considered greater Helsinki!

During the drive, we exchange German and Finnish customs, such as the strict winter tire requirement with spikes (except for one road in Helsinki that is supposed to be a test site to see if studless winter tires may produce less fine dust) and learn a little about the Finnish language’s connections. We still can't repeat it...

Upon arriving at the parking lot, we slip into our snowshoes as the conditions for this method of transport are nearly perfect.

Shortly after starting, we find ourselves in the middle of a completely frozen lake. Below us, 30 cm of snow and 30 cm of ice, and we quickly realize that the shoes make walking much easier.

Now we come to a dilemma of this blog entry:

We could describe all our impressions, every moment; trying to write down colors, expanses, smells, sounds (often just silence and the crunching of our shoes under us) in our usual detailed form!

Nothing would come close to the experience we had here today! That may sound exaggerated, but it’s simply the closest to our assessment of the trip!

We hike over lakes, follow lynx, deer, fox, and hare tracks, climb up slopes on paths we must find ourselves, stop repeatedly for interesting information that Mikko tells us in complete calmness and gives us the time to pass it on to Ida if she can't follow in English.

At halfway, at another lake, we take a break, chop wood for a small campfire over which we grill or heat our sausages, bread, and cinnamon rolls that we brought!

Coffee and hot currant juice are also provided, and so we sit in the middle of the Finnish winter wonderland in the snow, grilling sausages over the wood (chopped by Ida!) and enjoying the moment that no Trump, no Putin, or whoever can take away from us right now!

In Japanese, there is a term or rather a concept for the joy of small things (as one of four pillars) for the meaning of life or the reason one gets up in the morning. It is called “Ikigai”! And I believe that here and now, Ikigai is omnipresent!

We hike back, cross country, try juniper berries from the bush, test the shoes and our skills more unwittingly on a heart and kidney level as we decide on the significantly steeper and therefore more daring path, but have a lot of fun even here, so much so that even Mikko joins in and laughs heartily.

He has been doing this for almost six years now and enjoys every tour anew, loves nature, constantly discovers changes in the surroundings, and says that he can’t imagine a more beautiful job.

We can understand him and are incredibly grateful for this impressive experience, the pictures, and his company!

Of course, every fun must come to an end, and so seven hours after the start, we return to the hotel, just in time for the encroaching darkness.

With a warm farewell (handshake), our paths separate again, and after a quick dinner, we just want one thing: to shower and sleep.

After all, the next day we have to return home with heavy hearts.

At the beginning of our planning, we were rather skeptical about the possibilities and variety in Helsinki, but now we look back at the days and would claim that this was our best and most comprehensive city trip to date.

We had plenty of city strolling, icy national sport, sweating national hobby, beautiful national park, and a bit of national cuisine! And all that in one (extended) weekend.

From our perspective, Helsinki is definitely worth a trip, and who knows, maybe we’ll end up back here again!

We report! Until next time!

Fox, Hare, and Lynx

No problem, we wanted winter, and we’re getting winter. With the plan to warm up now and then in a café or one of the many trams, we head towards the harbor.

We make our first stop at the cathedral and watch Finnish cadets during their Sotilasvala. Because we are naturally curious, we bombard one of the Finnish spectators with questions about what we are supposed to be seeing:

After completing basic training (usually after 6 weeks), the so-called Sotilasvakuutus (military oath) takes place.

This event is a festive highlight where conscripts are officially promoted to the rank of soldiers (Finnish: mieshistö) and take their oath to defend the homeland. “Conscripts,” yes, in Finland military service is still mandatory, although men can choose to do alternative civil service. According to our informant, the majority of men decide to serve in the military, despite bivouacking exercises in -30 degree weather in the woods, and even though there is no conscription for women, 10% of the troops are female. The positive attitude towards military service likely stems from the long border with Russia, we are told. However, he can understand why Germany is so hesitant to reintroduce conscription. Our past is certainly quite different. The Finns seem to be quite lenient with us procrastinators.

Unfortunately, the long wait at the cathedral has given us ice-cold feet. We hurry towards the harbor and are fascinated. The frozen Baltic Sea is a spectacular sight, and suddenly we can understand why people need to be rescued from frozen lakes in winter. The ice floes practically scream to be walked on. We pull ourselves together, don’t play Lars the polar bear and Lena the snow hare, and instead watch Ida grinning widely as she throws ice blocks into the harbor basin.

The Finns seem to have a different perception of cold than we do. Dressed in sneakers and a transitional jacket, they seem unaffected by the cold. No contorted faces, no uncontrollable shivering. Strange. Despite our merino layers, we are quite frozen. We need warmth from the inside and, anyway, we have a huge Kahvihammas (“coffee tooth”). So, we decide to take a break before we can continue exploring.

Unfortunately, we haven't warmed up to the language at all, and we are thankful that street names, stops, and public buildings are additionally labeled in Swedish (the second official language in Helsinki) and that the people speak excellent English. The Finnish names are sometimes so long and look to us like a random grab in a letter soup that we simply can’t remember them. Each one of them a good candidate for hangman. Here are a few curious ones:

Kalsarikännit: getting drunk at home in your underwear

Poronkusema: the distance a reindeer can travel before it needs to urinate, approx. 7.5 km

Hyppytyynytyydytys: the funny feeling of jumping around on pillows.

Jeesusteippi: “Jesus tape” – meaning duct tape that fixes everything

Etäteen! sanoi mummo lumessa: Forward! said the grandma in the snow

After our coffee, we look for something to eat. Ida rightly points out that it might be time for some fish. After all, we are by the Baltic Sea. Not that she likes to eat it, but she knows us well. We head to the old market hall. There is fish and other delicacies from the water, but we pass anyway. Caviar for €2400/kg is not in the budget even if we are in a generous holiday mood. It doesn’t taste good to us anyway. We would refuse the sample spoon even if it cost only €1 (instead of €10 here). We still want to treat ourselves to something local, so we grab a sandwich with smoked reindeer meat, stroll past the stalls with knick-knacks, before we head back to the hotel through the nearby park “Kaivopuisto.”

In the evening, we go to the ice stadium. This makes Finland the sixth country on our list where we watch ice hockey (after Austria, Russia, Canada, Sweden, and the USA).

The snacks in the stadium cost as much as the tickets way up under the roof (where it's probably the warmest - good choice of seats!), but it has to be: bread and games, that’s just how it is. Although the games themselves are also quite amusing: the first brawl even before the puck drop, two players lose their helmets due to a rough play in the first period, and at times three players sit on the penalty bench simultaneously. We are fascinated. Otherwise, the quality is quite limited. We now definitely know why it’s possible that despite the Olympic Winter Games, league play continues normally: with these guys, Team Suomi would stand no chance internationally. The fans to our right are definitely experienced in suffering. More than a “Oioioioi” can’t be elicited from them by the many missed passes. That’s Nordic resilience.

Tomorrow we have a contrast program: we want to take the bus out to a reindeer park, trading the hustle and bustle of the capital for peace and nature.

We will report back. Until then, have a nice evening and good night!

It’s that time again; Fox, Hare, and Hazel Mouse are once more buzzing with excitement and embarking on an adventure tour!

This time, our destination is the high north in deep winter. Helsinki, the Finnish capital, the northern guardian of the Baltic Sea access to Russian St. Petersburg, and home to reindeer, hockey, licorice, and a whole lot of coffee.

As always, when our travel group sets off for new discoveries, it cannot happen without obligatory planning, weighing options, and comparing possible destinations!

So why Finland? And why in February? And how is this even possible when Ida should be in school? Are we perhaps slowly but surely creating school refusers and system deniers who rebel against school attendance and let their offspring jet across the world at the expense of education?!

Of course not! Thanks to ]]>https://vakantio.de/en/blog/heute-hier-morgen-dort/helsinkiinhttps://vakantio.de/en/blog/heute-hier-morgen-dort/helsinkiinThu, 12 Feb 2026 18:59:00 GMT60.1698556999999924.938379

At night, we see our first small aurora. Completely unprepared, we manage only a few shaky videos. We’ll practice again. Promise!

The evening ends once more in the sauna, and then straight to bed. With 5 degrees outside, there’s hardly any other option.

Our last morning in Finland is dry. Leisurely, the van rolls north until we arrive in Nuorgam in the afternoon. There, we bid a wistful farewell to Finland – and cross the border into Norway.

Goodbye Finland – you’ve found a place in our hearts. 

The next day brings us to Oulanka National Park and on a hike on the famous Bear Trail. We were supposed to see a waterfall as the highlight – but thanks to the park guide's incorrect directions, we end up going the other way. No worries: in the evening, a real highlight awaits us – our booked sauna.

Before that, we cook in the rustic log cabin kitchen, then off we go: along a small forest path that is only accessible to sauna guests, we reach the little house right by the lake. Quiet, cozy, simply perfect.

The next morning we roll further west. Maybe a detour, but a pretty funny one. With Christmas music playing, we head straight toward Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi at the Arctic Circle. A pure souvenir paradise – and apparently, there are several Santas there. But shhh! For us, the post office was the main attraction, and after that, we quickly moved on.

Our goal for the day: Sodankylä. Not a particularly noteworthy campsite, but at least we could do some laundry.

Detours on the Bear Trail and a Visit to Santa

The next day takes us to Oulanka National Park for a hike along the famous Bear Trail. The highlight should have been a waterfall – but thanks to the park guide's wrong directions, we end up heading the other way. No problem though: the real highlight is waiting for us in the evening – our booked sauna.

Beforehand, we cook in the rustic log cabin kitchen, then set off: along a small forest path reserved just for sauna guests, we reach the little hut right by the lake. Peaceful, cozy, simply perfect.

The next morning, we roll further west. Maybe a detour, but quite a funny one. With Christmas music playing, we head straight for Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi on the Arctic Circle. It’s basically a pure souvenir paradise – and apparently, there’s more than one Santa. But shhh! For us, the main stop was the post office, and after that we quickly moved on.

Our destination for the day: Sodankylä. Not a particularly remarkable campsite, but at least we managed to do some laundry.

From Rain to Bears: Wild Encounters in Kuusamo

Our last night in Lakeland was marked by heavy rain – and it hasn’t stopped by the time we set off the next morning. Ahead of us lie four and a half hours on the road.

Eventually, we arrive at Hossa.

The Hossa National Park has plenty to offer, but with the rain pouring down all day, we settle for a sauna and an early night.

The next morning looks friendlier. After a leisurely breakfast with pancakes and coffee, we set off on a beautiful hike. Moss-lined trails take us through rolling hills, with views opening up repeatedly to small lakes and clearings until we finally reach Lake Somerjärvi and the Värikallio cliffs.

The rock paintings here are among the largest prehistoric rock paintings in Finland. They were painted onto the cliff face above the lake during the Stone Age, around 3,500 to 4,500 years ago.

We’re deeply impressed and linger for a while before heading back along the trail and eventually returning to the van.

Back on the road north, we’re aiming for something very special – close to the Russian border. Along the way, we pass the first reindeer warning signs. The animals don’t keep us waiting long: here and there they appear along the roadside, entirely unbothered by passing cars.

In Kuusamo, a gravel road takes us close to the restricted border zone, where the meeting point for our bear-watching tour is located. Shortly before 6 p.m., our guides collect us and lead us to the observation hides.

We settle in quietly with our cameras at the ready. It doesn’t take long before the first female bear shows up. The evening flies by as several bears wander across the clearing, and we even spot a few sea eagles. Magnificent!

Exhausted but happy, we fall into bed that night. It has turned bitterly cold, though – a reminder that tomorrow we’ll have to prepare for winter.