Slava Ukraine! Death to Russian occupants!

Welcome to my blog about Finnish countryside, nature and smaller cities!

I am Alexander from Vaasa, Finland, and my main hobby is exploring this wonderful country and writing about it. I've visited all its cities, national parks and many other places and local sights. And I'm writing about them here. And sometimes about the neighboring countries too :)

I'm originally from Russia and I moved to Finland only in 2017. I am however absolutely against the war in Ukraine; Ukraine must win and Russia must lose and disintegrate. I am a citizen of Finland, I value that very highly, this is my home and where all my sympathies and loyalties lie, and Russia is threatening my home here now. I do not visit Russia anymore and have no ties with it.

I was traditionally mostly writing in Russian but no longer see a real need for this, and decided to switch to English as a default language for new content again. Unfortunately most of my posts from 2021-2022 aren't currently available in English. Some things I translate also into Finnish, but this is a considerable effort to make.

I also have a Twitter: EncFennica. Things generally appear in Twitter sooner than in this blog, but the goal is at least to copy over all English-language threads.

Contact email

Österhankmo

Just an evening walk in a small village in northeastern Korsholm, 25 km from Vaasa.

Möhkö ironworks

One of the easternmost sights in all Finland, a classic ironworks site only 3 km from the modern Russian border. Established in 1849, converted into a sawmill in 1907 and operated until the 1970s. A great museum and a nice quiet remote corner of North Karelia.

Knivskjellodden

The "true" northernmost point of Europe in North Norway, a cape jutting 1.5 km farther north than the famous Nordkapp (North Cape), quite close to it but requiring a 9.5 km hike in one direction through spectacular Arctic wilderness.

Kannus

A town of about 5300 in Central Ostrobothnia, notable for Lestijoki valley views and being the birthplace of Oskari Tokoi, the first Social Democrat prime minister in the world.

Nurmes

A small town in North Karelia, at the northern end of the great Pielinen lake. Famous for being one of the very few old wooden towns inland, away from the coast, and for some memories of Orthodox Karelia, including Bomba, the famous copy of a huge Karelian house.

Pikkurata, a former forestry railroad

The longest forestry narrow-gauge railway in the history of Finland, up to 68 km at its longest, in inland Central Ostrobothnia. Operated in 1920-1961 and dismantled long ago, but even now some traces of it survive, including the original track bed and even two small museum trains (non-moving).

Inari Village and Hiking Area

The village of Inari in Upper Lapland, the center of Sámi culture in Finland on the shores of the great Inarijärvi lake, and Inari Hiking Area surrounding it, with some Fell Lapland nature that could be seen already fairly close to the village.

The Battle of Oravais

The biggest battle of the Finnish War of 1808-1809, which decided the outcome of the war (entire Finland to be ceded from Sweden to Russia), and monuments and sights related to the battle in the town of Oravais.

Jämsä

A minor industrial town in Central Finland, rather young and mostly lacking major sights. There is some nice-looking paper industry in the twin town of Jämsänkoski; nearby is the Himos ski resort. A niced quiet place nonetheless.

Isokuru ravine in Pyhä-Luosto National Park

One of the most impressive fell ravines in Lapland, with its walls up to 220 meters high, and a small waterfall where Sami people were baptized centuries ago at the end of it. Quite easily accessible too.

Paukaneva Bog in Seinäjoki

The biggest nature destination in Seinäjoki, a rather big and very beautiful bog immediately north of the city.

Kyröskoski dam and town

An industrial dam at a former major waterfall, mentioned even in Kalevala, in a small industrial town. A few times a year floodgates are opened and the waterfall briefly looks almost the same as in the old days.

Huittinen

A small and fairly ordinary town in the east of Satakunta region.

Lohja Station and a museum train

Railway station on the Hyvinkää-Karis line, long in use only by freight traffic, and a museum train from Hyvinkää visiting there.

Nattanen fells and Vuotso village

A very beautiful fell massif in Sompio Strict Nature Reserve, close by the first Sami village of Finland on the way to the north.

Old Hauho

Old Tavastian church village with some preserved older streets and houses.

Kammi-kylä

An art object village, built in the middle of a bog by one man.