Finnland – Land der 1000 Seen

Finnland – Land der 1000 Seen
We cycle through Finland close to the lakeland area Saimaa. The nights a bright like during the day at the moment. Normally we are fast asleep but this time Philippe could catch this sunrise during 3 and 4 am. We discover Finland’s land and culture and learn a lot about Finnish sauna.


Nach Südfinnland erreichen wir bald die Finnische Seenplatte. Die Wolken reißen ab und zu auf und die Vegetation zeigt sich in ihrer vollen Schönheit.
A warm but wet welcome from Finland. Our first four days after taking the ferry to Helsinki were quite rainy. Sometimes we hide under bus shelter. This time, there was no shelter at all.
After South Finland we reach Finnish Lake District. Weather is getting better and the warm and wet climate are perfect for plants. This is pure beauty.


Irgendwie finden sie immer eine nackte Stelle und stechen zu. Laut Einheimischen blieb dieses Jahr der Frost im Frühjahr aus und vernichtete nicht wie sonst die meisten Mückeneier. Im Norden von Mittelschweden, in der Region Lappland soll es noch mehr davon geben.
At first glance: peaceful. Unfortunately there are swarms of moskitos after lot of rain and muggy weather. Within the Lake District you can kill or spray them, cover yourself, run or tolerate.
They always find a place which is not covered. If it is just one of them like on the picture you are lucky.


23 Uhr in Kivijärvi in Mittelfinnland. Nach strömenden Regen bricht die Wolkendecke auf. Hier sogar als Doppelregenbogen.
Romantic camp ground – this night we put our tent on the small bridge out of stones close to the lake. In the next morning at 3 pm we watch a beautiful sunrise, to see in the panorama picture above.
11 pm at Kivijärvi in the middle of Finland. After hours of strong rain the power of reflection, refraction and dispersion.


Am Juhannus Tag, dem Freitag nach dem Tag der Sommersonnenwende am 21. Juni finden wir in einem finnischen Garten einen luxuriösen Zeltplatz. Gepflegter Rasen, Holzschaukel und arrangierte Bepflanzung dürfen in keinem finnischen Vorgarten fehlen.
Our King-Meal is always fresh and self-made with our stove. After Midsummer night the cities are quiet and we use the seat for having a rest without moskitos.
Happy Midsummer night! Finnish people celebrate on the following weekend after 21st of June. We camp in a typical finnish yard with bushes, swing and cutted grass.
Von der Ostsee nach Lappland

Von der Ostsee nach Lappland
Von hier gibt es eine kleine Abweichung unseres Tracks, weil wir eine Einladung nach Rovaniemi haben. Die zweite Nacht nach Helsinki durften wir bei Virpi, Vesa und Pekka im Garten zelten – daraufhin folgte eine sehr herzliche Einladung in ihre Heimat nach Lappland.
Finally – the baltic sea. After 750 kilometer crossing Finland we reach Gulf of Bothnia in Oulu. Here we have fresh air and the water is warm. Maybe we take a bath.
Now we’re getting a little bit off our track because we have an invitation to Rovaniemi. The second night after Helsinki we could camp in the garden of Virpi, Vesa and Pekka. After that we got a really warm invitation to their home in Lapland. Thanks to you, guys!


100 km nordwestlich von Oulu finden wir in Kemi direkt am Strand diesen wunderschönen Zeltplatz. Der Fluss Kemijoki fließt hier aus dem See Kemijärvi in die Ostsee. Es weht ein starker Wind und vertreibt alle Mücken. Wir verbringen einen schönen Abend ohne Sonnenuntergang auf ein paar Steinen am Meer. Ein paar wenige Einheimische kennen wohl diesen schönen Platz ebenfalls und wir tauschen uns auf englisch, deutsch und mit Händen und Füßen gut aus.
Next to the cathedral there is the city hall. It was built in 1886 in a neo-renaissance style. Oulu is the fifth largest city in Finland and was famous for production of pine tar. Today pine tar is no longer used to waterproof boats and fishnets but for attractant for deer.
The city Kemi is 100 km in the north-west of Oulu. It got its name from the river Kemijoki which goes in Baltic Sea. We enjoy a beautiful evening. The wind is quite strong and chases the moskitos. Some locals come to this amazing place as well. We have good talk and get some good advice for the next stage.


Sauna is no luxury in Finland. It is standard. In modern apartments there is an electric one. But this sauna is self-made with a wood fired oven. We are now in Lapland, a few kilometers away from Rovaniemi and behind arctic circle. Our friend Vesa introduces us into the procedure of having finnish sauna. Nobody would be more suitable than he. With true abandon he shows Philippe how to put water over stones and totem. The sauna session ends quietly with refreshment in the lake which is easy to reach over wooden stairs. Then Philippe goes with me and shows me the worship. After sauna we feel like we were new born. Our skin is soft and smooth.


Im zweiten Weltkrieg fielen an der Finnisch-Russischen Grenze viele deutsche Soldaten im Lapplandkrieg. Bei Rovaniemi liegen knapp 3000 am Deutschen Soldatenfriedhof begraben. Die Namen der Gefallenen sind in Muschelkalkplatten gemeißelt. Der Ort ist bedrückend und steht als Mahnmal für die Welt.
In Santa Clause Village in Rovaniemi Santa has his summer residence. You can have a picture with him or buy things for Christmas.
In Second World War many German soldiers died at the Finnish-Russian border during Lapland War. Next to Rovaniemi there is a military cemetery to remember the soldiers killed in action.
From Lapland to Norway

From Lapland to Norway
Water is getting clearer, moskitos and hills are getting more – we reach the north of Lapland. Since Rovaniemi we cycle in this beautiful region to the border of Norway. Together with raindeer we prefer the main roads. They are used to motor home drivers and cross streets relaxed.


Schneller Treten: ab 15 km pro Stunde können Mücken nicht mehr mithalten und es bleiben nur hartnäckige Fliegen als Verfolger übrig. Heute übernachten wir auf dem Campingplatz in Muonio.
Rainy days crossing Lapland. We love cycling, we love Finland, we love reindeers, so we have to love the rain as well.
Faster than 15 km per hour are necessary to leave moskitos behind. Flies still are left but ok. Today we stay at a camping site in Muonio.


We get off the bike very quickly, put on rain trousers and jacket and our moskito hats. Hands are still free and we clap them to kill at least a few moskitos. We mix banana, apple, joghurt and muesli and eat by pushing the spoon below the moskito net very fast.


It’s a rainy but beautiful landscape to Kilpisjärvi, our last stage in Finland over a small pass.


Few kilometers before the Norwegian border we reach mountains the first time since more than 2 month. This was the longest time in Philippe’s life without mountains.


Wir sind in Tromsø! Über 4300 km gen Nord, Nordost und Nordwest. Das ist der nördlichste Punkt unserer Reise. Wir können es selbst noch nicht glauben! Vielleicht realisieren wir es ja in den nächsten Tagen, wenn wir wieder im Sattel sitzen.
Today we wake up at this beautiful Norwegian fjord. Everything is dry and the view fantastic. Moskitos seem to stop at the Finish-Norwegian border.
We arrive in Tromsø! After 4300 km we reach the most northern point of our trip. We still cannot believe what we did! Maybe we’re going to realise it in the next few days when pedaling again.
During our last lunch break before Tromsø, a man stopped and asked: „Are you heading north?“