North Karelia, Finland: nature, recreation, fishing

What is it - Karelia? Everyone who has visited there, describes it in his own way. For some it is a land smelling of resinous wood. Who visited on the rest on the lakes, speaks of the incomparable beauty of places with pointed "eyelashes of firs above the blue eyes of lakes". Lovers of fishing talk about cold, transparent reservoirs, rich in fish. When leaving home, everyone takes with him incredibly many impressions, in return, leaving a part of his soul there. Perhaps, after reading this article, you also want to go to North Karelia.

Finland is near

Everyone who arrives will find a rest option for themselves. Whether it will be active and sporty in a ski resort, or whether you will limit yourself to fishing for grayling and lake trout, depends on the option of your chosen vacation. In North Karelia, the Suopera customs station is opened, through which you can get to the northern part of Finland, the Ruka-Kuusamo region. The nature of Finnish Karelia is no different from the Russian one - the same snowdrifts in pine-spruce forests. In the lakes there are pike and perch. Throughout the entire 300-kilometer border, where the Russian national park Paanajärvi is bordered by the Finnish Park of Olank, nature is picturesque and equally beautiful.

Olank Park

All the beauty of nature in North Karelia can be seen in the park of Olanka, named after the river that flows through its territory. In the pine forest, the hills of the hills rise, under the trees you can see the growing calypso orchid. In the riverbeds on alluvial (infesting) meadows in summer nest migratory birds and flutter rare species of butterflies. In the park you can meet bears and deer. Dwell in these parts of lynx and wolverine. Walking along the paths of the park, you can go out to the clearings with berries and mushrooms, which you are allowed to collect. In addition to the habitual forest berries of strawberries and blueberries, the interesting northern berries of the prince (raspberry arctic) and the crow, belonging to the heather family, with leaf-leaves, grow in the park.

Suggested routes in the park

In the park for the movement and recreation of tourists there are trails in the fir grove and bridges across the rivers. On the equipped grounds of the park, you can set up a tent for free for a couple of nights or be sheltered. There are also places for campfires, there are roasters and firewood. Numerous water and hiking routes are laid in the park. One of them, 80 km long, is the most popular in North Karelia and is available all year round. The route "Bear trail" is called. Usually tourists pass his days in eight. On the trail there will be moss-covered old trees of the ancient forest, canyons and turbulent mountain streams. Who was looking for adventure - they will meet them in the form of six suspension bridges, which need to be overcome. There will be on the way stairs, bridges and narrow wooden decks providing passage in hard-to-reach places. There are forest huts on the "Bear Road" in which people walking along the trail can rest and build a fire in a certain place. No less interesting is the one-day route along the Kitka River. He, too, with trials in which it is necessary to overcome three suspension bridges and walk along wooden decks in hard-to-reach places, and where necessary - climb the rope ladder.

Lake Pielinen

On the shore of Lake Pielinen, on its eastern side, lies a small town of Lieksa. It is located in the depths of North Karelia, surrounded by national parks and trekking trails. Thanks to the tourist orientation of the city, tourists have a place to stay: hotels, cottages and campsites. Also, a full-fledged recreation and a lot of entertainment will be organized at any time of the year. In the Patvinuo National Park, tourists can hunt on wolverines, lynxes, foxes with a camera in their hands.

No less interesting can spend time in Finland in the park of Koli, located in the western part of Lake Pielinen. In summer, tourists can go hiking. Tracking routes are represented by a different level of complexity. In the park there is an opportunity to ride horses. There are observation platforms.

Located in the north on the shore of the lake, two Finnish towns are attractive for tourists, each in its own way. In Nurmes you can get acquainted with the traditional Finnish way of life, visit the shops of artisans. Good in these parts of northern Karelia fishing. Inveterate fishermen appreciate these places rich in fish. On the spinning well go trout and pallium. Beef roach and bass peck. They are rich in whitefish and grayling.

In Valtimo it will be interesting for tourists to ride on reindeer sleds, and they will be fed by Karelian wickets - rye cakes with stuffing.

Dreamland

To celebrate the New Year in Finland for many tourists becomes a tradition, especially if a family and children go on vacation. In this case, you need to go to Lapland. In the "magic country" you can spend the winter holidays with all the New Year's attributes - snow, frost, furry fir and Santa Claus living nearby, extend the childhood years to the child and his faith in magic. It is here, in winter North Karelia, you can immerse yourself in a fairy tale, especially if you get here in the fifth season, the twilight season is Kaamos (polar night). At this time, the sky is painted in a real ultramarine color, which makes staying in Lapland truly magical. And also here - snow-covered hills and silvery spruce, creating an atmosphere that Finns call Lapin taika, or "magic of Lapland." It will be interesting for children to get into the "official residence" of Santa Claus, which since 1985 moved closer to the Arctic Circle.

Ranua Zoo

The capital of the fabulous country of Lapland is beyond the Arctic Circle. This small town of Rovaniemi with its sights. Here is the most northern of all existing zoos in the world. In it, the conditions of keeping animals are as close to natural as possible. The zoo has about 60 species of wild Arctic animals. To get acquainted with the inhabitants of the zoo, special wooden bridges are laid for visitors, which are located above the enclosures, they pass next to them. Everything is foreseen and done in the zoo so that the influence of man is the least, and the animals feel comfortable. Arriving in Finland in winter and hitting this zoo, you will get a unique opportunity to watch animals that, changing their fur to winter, often leave their enclosures. The white (polar) bear is at this time in its element.

Finland for adults

What interests Finland in the winter for adults? Here we will talk about ski resorts with impressive elevations and black trails. If you are a mountain skier, there are many places in Finland where you can go skiing. Each resort has trails for beginners and children. If you are vacationing with your family in Lapland, you will not have to go in search of a ski resort. It became the most revered resort for tourists during the winter season. Here on the hills there are trails of any complexity for skiers and snowboarders. The simplest routes are laid on hills for children.

The ski season lasts from October to May. The snow on the slopes is real, as is the winter itself. By the way, the peak of the ski season in Lapland falls on a polar night, lasting two months. Artificial lighting of the slopes completely compensates for the lack of natural daylight. The atmosphere of this ski resort in Finland, thanks to the fabulous nature, has a quiet rest. Snow park - an integral part of any European ski resort. In Lapland, there is such a park. It is equipped with snow jumps and a children's park, where children can learn to jump and perform tricks under the supervision of coaches.

Services at ski resorts

What are the best winter ski resorts in Lapland? The fact that they have rental points, offering a full range of services and all ski equipment. It's not at all worthwhile, with a trip to rest in North Karelia, to carry equipment with you. With housing in the resorts there are no problems. You can rent a log cabin with a hot sauna, where you can soak after the time spent on the ski slopes.

The services of resorts include providing tourists with snowshoes, snowmobiles for safaris, canine and reindeer teams. There are rental cross-country skis and everything for winter fishing.

Snowland

Returning from the trip, of course, you will tell how well spent time in Finland. But the most exciting in the story will be a moment about how you visited a unique, unique in the world complex of ice and snow. And to make the story true, you really should be there.

Snowland is located in the village of Lainio, famous for its ice sculptures, a restaurant in which sit on ice chairs, two ice bars and an Arctic disco. And here you can admire the northern lights, while staying at the Kakslauttanen hotel in a glass needle. The hotel is next to the Saariselkä hill. Guests of the hotel sleep or lie on deer skins and look at the sky.

Having visited North Karelia in Finland, I want to go to this beautiful snow country more than once.