Friday at noon we boarded the train to Parkano, and 40 minutes later our group of three stood on the tracks, ready to head into a sunny weekend. Remember I said I would get to test the Scarp 1 under rainy conditions? Didn't happen. Sunshine and blue sky on all three days. I hope the weather stays like this when Joe is coming here in two and half weeks.
Parkano railway station.
We walked for about four kilometers alongside the tracks, till we got to the crossroad where the trail took a left. A few farm houses and summer cottages along picturesque lakes and fields lay along our path, and birch lined roads were followed until a sign told us to take a left into the forest.
The first section of the trail is called Paroonin Taival, up till the Seitseminen National Park. There where two lean-to shelters, about 10 km from Parkano, on the trail, where we had a first break. After a cup of tea and some snacks we made good speed, and arrived around six o'clock at the Riihisaari hut, where we met up with the fourth member of our trip. The stove in the hut was lighted up, a dip in the lake to refresh ourselves and then cooking dinner and sitting around the table and chatting till we got tired and went to sleep.
I slept in the Scarp 1 right on the beach, two meters to the lake. It was a nice night, the moon was shining down on the lake and I was warm in my tent. The next morning I was the first one up, walking along the beach and taking photos of the beautiful lake.
Breakfast and packing up, and by 10.30 o'clock we were on the trail. At a spring, one and half kilometers form the hut, we refilled our water bottles and by noon we reached the Seitseminen Visitors Centre, where we rewarded ourselves with a cup of coffee and a pulla (a typical Finnish pastry).
The spring to the left.
Walking the last kilometer to the National Park on a road.
The Seitseminen Visitors Centre.
Here we where joined by a friend, who would just spent the day hiking with us. We started on the trail in the NP, and already after a few meters we decided to go offroad and look for mushrooms. It didn't take us long, and soon our plastic bag was filled with delicious treasures from the forest.
Cantharellus tubaeformis.
Back on the trail. Or duck boards, for that matter =)
We made good speed, and had a short break at Iso Kivijärvi.
And back to the duck boards.
Through the marshes.
A lone survivor from the summer.
Pitkäjärven Kämppä, where we had lunch.
Mushroom soup in the making.
And in my cup. It was superb! Easily the best trail meal I had.
Well fed we continued, as we still had around eight kilometers to our campsite at Rysäslammi to cover. Our friend, who joined just for the day, walked back to the visitors centre while we went to the lean-to at the little forest lake. It was a pleasant walk in the evening sun, and good conversations where had.
The view up from where I put the Scarp 1 up.
Two hours later we arrived at Rysäslammi, where my friends started a fire while I put up the Scarp 1. We had a fine dinner and chat around the fire that evening, though I had a bit of a restless night as there where hunters close by, and their shots at night woke me up. Not nice, but well, its hunting season. I was early up again, and started to pack up right away, as the last morning my friends where waiting for me and I didn't want to be the last one again this day.
Spiderweb and morning dew.
The sun was shining again today, like the whole weekend. We walked to the lean-to shelter on Koukerinvuori, where we cooked lunch and had a nap - our bus left at 17 o'clock and we had plenty of time. Around two we started to walk again, and by quarter to four we arrived in Kuru, where I had a fine cup of coffee and carrot cake. Carrot cake is fabulous, I think I need to make some at home. Fantastic stuff. We killed the rest of the time by walking through the town, reading, swimming, and jumped on the bus which brought us save back to Tampere.
The path continues.
This was my second group trip, and it was a nice experience. I organized it for mates from Couchsurfing, and we all understood each other well. Its nice to be with other folks on the trail, and I am really looking forward to go walk together with Joe in two and half weeks, who shares my passion for UL hiking.
Parkano railway station.
We walked for about four kilometers alongside the tracks, till we got to the crossroad where the trail took a left. A few farm houses and summer cottages along picturesque lakes and fields lay along our path, and birch lined roads were followed until a sign told us to take a left into the forest.
The first section of the trail is called Paroonin Taival, up till the Seitseminen National Park. There where two lean-to shelters, about 10 km from Parkano, on the trail, where we had a first break. After a cup of tea and some snacks we made good speed, and arrived around six o'clock at the Riihisaari hut, where we met up with the fourth member of our trip. The stove in the hut was lighted up, a dip in the lake to refresh ourselves and then cooking dinner and sitting around the table and chatting till we got tired and went to sleep.
I slept in the Scarp 1 right on the beach, two meters to the lake. It was a nice night, the moon was shining down on the lake and I was warm in my tent. The next morning I was the first one up, walking along the beach and taking photos of the beautiful lake.
Breakfast and packing up, and by 10.30 o'clock we were on the trail. At a spring, one and half kilometers form the hut, we refilled our water bottles and by noon we reached the Seitseminen Visitors Centre, where we rewarded ourselves with a cup of coffee and a pulla (a typical Finnish pastry).
The spring to the left.
Walking the last kilometer to the National Park on a road.
The Seitseminen Visitors Centre.
Here we where joined by a friend, who would just spent the day hiking with us. We started on the trail in the NP, and already after a few meters we decided to go offroad and look for mushrooms. It didn't take us long, and soon our plastic bag was filled with delicious treasures from the forest.
Cantharellus tubaeformis.
Back on the trail. Or duck boards, for that matter =)
We made good speed, and had a short break at Iso Kivijärvi.
And back to the duck boards.
Through the marshes.
A lone survivor from the summer.
Pitkäjärven Kämppä, where we had lunch.
Mushroom soup in the making.
And in my cup. It was superb! Easily the best trail meal I had.
Well fed we continued, as we still had around eight kilometers to our campsite at Rysäslammi to cover. Our friend, who joined just for the day, walked back to the visitors centre while we went to the lean-to at the little forest lake. It was a pleasant walk in the evening sun, and good conversations where had.
The view up from where I put the Scarp 1 up.
Two hours later we arrived at Rysäslammi, where my friends started a fire while I put up the Scarp 1. We had a fine dinner and chat around the fire that evening, though I had a bit of a restless night as there where hunters close by, and their shots at night woke me up. Not nice, but well, its hunting season. I was early up again, and started to pack up right away, as the last morning my friends where waiting for me and I didn't want to be the last one again this day.
Spiderweb and morning dew.
The sun was shining again today, like the whole weekend. We walked to the lean-to shelter on Koukerinvuori, where we cooked lunch and had a nap - our bus left at 17 o'clock and we had plenty of time. Around two we started to walk again, and by quarter to four we arrived in Kuru, where I had a fine cup of coffee and carrot cake. Carrot cake is fabulous, I think I need to make some at home. Fantastic stuff. We killed the rest of the time by walking through the town, reading, swimming, and jumped on the bus which brought us save back to Tampere.
The path continues.
This was my second group trip, and it was a nice experience. I organized it for mates from Couchsurfing, and we all understood each other well. Its nice to be with other folks on the trail, and I am really looking forward to go walk together with Joe in two and half weeks, who shares my passion for UL hiking.