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outdoor activities
Both summertime and
wintertime offer a variety of activities that can be done. You can look for
activities or just relax
and enjoy the nature, silence and the sauna.
Summer or winter
Visiting Hirvimäki in
summer is different from a visit in winter time. In summer you experience the
white nights and around the 21st of June there is no darkness during the night
at all. The temperature is agreeable and because the days are light you have a
lot of time for activities outside. The winter is cold and in the period of
Christmas there is daylight from 9.00 a.m. until 15.30 p.m. There is a lot of
snow and wintertime offers possibilities for typical winter activities. In this
time it is important to have a warm winter cottage at your disposal like
Hirvimäki.
One
of our hiking trips last summer: A hiking track at about 10 km from our
cottage. The distance you travel seems not much but due to the swampy
features of the track it’s a tough job to make it to the end where you
are well rewarded with a cottage, a saw, an axe and firewood to light a
fire. The track was made with lots of efforts but the builders have
forgotten to tell tourists about this beautiful and rewarding
place. Some lucky tourists might even see the beavers in their shelter
near the river that runs along the hiking track.
Canoeing
Near the cottage you find
an Indian canoe for making canoe trips. The possibilities are endless, you can
make your own trail beginning with a few hours or a day and maybe a couple of
days. With Nordic Everyman’s Rights you can take your tent and camp on the
shores of the lake. The canoe is stable and suitable for the flat water of the
lakes. If you want to follow a nature trail marked with information boards you
can try the squirrel route ( oravareitti in Finnish ). This is a canoe trail of
57 km, suitable for family outings. It starts in Juva at the local campsite and
ends in Sulkava. Along the trail you find information about the nature and
landing stages for pick nick of camping. Canoes and route descriptions are
available at the Juva campsite. Here you also can arrange transfer from Sulkava
back to Juva if you wish. For more detailed info you find special websites on
the links page.
Swimming
The water in the lakes of
Finland is crystal-clear. Protection of the environment and the quality of water
in the lake is in Finland an important issue. Everywhere the lakes are suitable
for swimming. The shore of the lakes can be a sandy beach and shallow water or
rocky and steep. At the cottage Hirvimäki you find a small beach with shallow
water. The water temperature depends of the weather. In a warm period the
temperature of the water is warm enough to go for a swim.
Cycling
Many Finns are not fond
of cycling, although the country is suitable for cycling tours. A bicycle tour
is a nice way to discover the Finnish scenery from the land. The hills are not
high but numerous and sometimes steep, so suitable gear are necessary on the
bike. Roads are asphalt roads or the small roads a mix of clay and gravel. The
small roads are more attractive for cycling because of the little traffic and
the beautiful scenery they lead you. For your safety you must be careful for
steep downhill riding because numerous deep holes in the road surface and sharp
bends. The use of a helmet is usual in Finland. The tick tyres of mountain bikes
are most suitable for these roads. At Hostel Mansikka mountain bikes are
available.
An idea for a daytrip:
From the cottage Hirvimäki go left on the Toijantie and follow the road until
the end. On the asphalt road to the right, over the bridge and then the first
road to the left ( an asphalt road). Keep following this road, the asphalt stops
and the road surface will be bad and getting worse. Keep following the road
until it
ends. You are at the end of the peninsula and the place is called Päihäniemi.
Leave your bike and follow a little footpath left into the forest. It will lead
you to a nice pick nick place and a beautiful beach with a magnificent view over
the lake Saimaa. Mostly you are alone on this beautiful spot. Don’t forget to
take your swimming bag.
Amusement parks
In Finland you find a
number of amusement parks and one of them on a reasonable distance for a one day
visit. The park is called Tykkimäki and is located near Kouvola. 85 km south
west of Lappeenranta on road nr 6. You can find the website of Tykkimäki on the
links page.
 Hiekkalinna
In summertime a big
sandcastle is built close to the marina and Fortress of Lappeenranta. In Finnish
sandcastle is: Hiekkalinna. It is the largest sandcastle of Scandinavia and
admission is free. The sandcastle is different every summer but always a
magnificent peace of sand art. This summer the theme is "Fairy tales".
Fishing
For the sport fisherman
this country is a paradise. The lakes are full of fish, and fishing is possible
from a boat or shore. A rowing boat is available at the cottage. The most common
species are pike, perch and roach. In Finland fishing is very popular and you
find fishing stuff in any supermarket or petrol station.
Excursions
A nice trip for a few
hours is a boat excursion on the Saimaa Canal with one of the ships in the
harbour of Lappeenranta waiting for passengers for example ms Camilla. More
detailed information you can find on the web site of Visitfinland on the links
page.
Visit St Petersburg:
Russia is nearby and visiting St Petersburg is possible in every season. A visit
of St Petersburg can be arranged but that excursion will take at least 3 days.
For Russia a visa is needed. Hostel Mansikka can arrange visa transfer guide
and accommodation during these visits if you want it. It is not possible to take
a hiring car over the Russian border, because the car rent companies to not want
the risk of loss or damage. A visit to Vyborg ( Viipuri) is possible in a one
day excursion. Vyborg is a city on Russian territory but was an important
Finnish city when it belonged to Finland before 1939.
 Skiing
Finland is the country of
cross-country skiers. In summer and winter they are training and on the ski
trail you find out how fast they go. There are long distance trails everywhere
and near Saimaanharju you find a nice trail with steep parts and it is lighted.
At the cottage there is a ski trail leading into the forest. The trail is not
often used and the terrain is deserted so it is important that you take a mobile
phone and number you can call in case of emergency.
The possibilities for downhill
skiing are limited. In a town nearby ( Joutseno) you find a skiing hill with a
few ski tows. It will not be challenging for the experienced skier but it can be
a nice trip for the less experienced skier. You can hire skis, there is light on
the ski run, it is not too busy and there is a café and the admission is not
expensive. In case of low temperature and wind it is important to be protected
against the coldness.
Snowmobile safari
A snowmobile safari is a exiting
activity. It is easy to organise. You ride over the frozen lakes or trough the
forests. It is possible to make a trip for a few hours or choose for a long
distance and ride the snowmobile for a whole day. Riding a snowmobile is not
very difficult but it is rather tiring and a few hours on the machine can be
heavy if it is the first time. The ability of a snowmobile is astonishing, it
goes down very steep slopes trough trenches much easier that you expect. On the
flat surface of the ice speed of 100 km is possible. A motor helmet and
thermo overall is part of the equipment of the vehicle. In cold conditions
it is especially for the passenger on the back important to be protected.
 Ice
Hockey
Ice hockey is the most important
team sport in Finland. The local team ( Lappeenranta) is called SaiPa and plays
in the national league. The results of the games are important sport news.
If you are present at one of the games of SaiPa in the Ice hockey stadium of Lappeenranta you experience the sport-loving mentality of the public. Supporters
of both teams are mixed in the arena supporting their own favourite without any
problem.
Ice fishing
Also in wintertime you see a lot
of fishing. The fisherman drills a hole in the ice and catches the fish under
the ice. Ice fishing is very popular in Finland and in winter you can see a lot
of fishermen sitting on the plains of snow and ice, well protected against the
cold wind. A lot of fish can be caught this way. It is said that success depends
of the position of the moon.
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