Follow the sign.
An interesting bicycle.
You have hiked from...
Passing by a field.
The beginning of the trail leads through the village of Kuru, which we reached after 70 minutes in the bus from Tampere. The weather forecast promised 25°C for all three days, so we decided to not take the rain gear and take shorts instead of long pants. Good decision that was! After 3 km on the trail we left civilization behind us, and entered the wild.
A mushroom.
The trail.
Wild flowers.
Rocks covered in moss, fir and birch trees, that's Finnish nature!
Because of Clemens' ankle we walked slow, and made frequent breaks and enjoyed the nature. I saw a stag while walking up one hill, and before I was able to take a photo of him he hoofed it and was gone. Woodpeckers, butterflies and dragonflies were equally skilled in evading my camera, so you need to believe my words that we saw them. Off! was a welcome aid to keep the mosquitos off, of whom I probably could have taken a photo if I would have bothered.
Chanterelle. We weren't 100% sure so didn't eat them. Damn - next time the guide book comes along!
Blueberry fields.
The trail continues.
We picked a good time to go hiking, as there were plenty of blueberries, raspberries; and if we would have known which mushrooms one is able to eat without dying we could have enhanced our dinner significantly. Repeated stops were made to grab some blueberries and raspberries, which were delicious. Around 18.30 o'clock we reached the Iso Kalliojärvi lean-to shelter, and took a swim in the wonderfully warm water. We swam for a while before I got the BushBuddy Ultra out and cooked our food.
A bridge.
The lean-to shelter at Iso Kalliojärvi.
The loo on the trail. These are next to all camp sites, fire sites and lean-to shelters.
Dinner with a view.
Nightcap is brewing.
We went to sleep early, and during the night we saw how the full moon was wandering over the lake. If I wouldn't have been too tired I would have taken a photo. It was a cool night, and I got a bit cold in my Halti Megalite sleeping bag, even with wearing some insulation layers. So I got up at 05.30 o'clock and started a fire to warm myself up. The mist was hanging heavily over the lake, and it was a beautiful sight to look upon.
Morning fog.
After a light breakfast and the decision to go back to Kuru we started walking at 07.30 o'clock, and after a good one and half hour walking we made a break on a bridge, boiled some water and had some soup in a cup. It was already warm, and we were thankful for the shorts and short sleeved shirts. And also for Off!
Walking down the same hill I saw the stag the day before, I didn't believe my eyes as I saw a black adder on the path enjoying the sun! Lo and behold, this time I was fast enough with the camera, and was able to snap a few photos! At 13.00 o'clock we reached Kuru, and with a well deserved ice cream we sat down in the shadow to wait for the bus home.
Black adder.
View.