In the footsteps of Finnish artists: an unforgettable trip to Eastern Finland - Part 3

Finn Kamilla Billiers decided to spend her holiday in Finland instead of travelling abroad. Her destination was Eastern Finland, an area renowned for its rugged landscapes. She let some of the most famous Finnish artists guide her on her journey. The trip was a journey into the heart of Finnish culture. 

This is the final part of the 3 part post. Before this Kamilla has visited the Koli National Park and North Karelian town Joensuu.

Just like granny’s house 

I travelled to Lieksa on the car ferry Pielinen. I was the only passenger on board and took in the beautiful scenery from the comfort of a rather retro-looking orange velvet couch. A tattooed deck boy came in to water the flowers on the windowsill and laughed when I asked about things to do in Lieksa. In the early evening, the small town was quiet and empty.

I walked past a small Orthodox chapel on my way to my accommodation. The Timitra Hostel is located in the Functionalist-style Timitra Castle, which was formerly occupied by a Finnish Border Guard training centre. The hostel is run by an architect who is also a keen collector of Finnish design works, and the interior and decor of the hostel reflects the personal taste of its proprietor. It is not very often that you see Artek furniture or Arabia dishes in a hostel.

Timitra Hostel in Lieksa is furnished with Finnish design.

When it was time for dinner, the atmosphere in the shared kitchen was relaxed. There was an older couple who were on their way to Pankakoski because the wife, a former pianist, once used to play a song by that name. I sipped my tea and watched steaming hot focaccia being lifted out of the oven.

On the final day of my trip, I explored the sights in and around Lieksa. The Pielinen Museum is Finland’s second-largest open-air museum, and its oldest buildings date from the 17th century. There are so many types of houses, barns, and saunas that you do not know where to look. The houses reminded me of my granny’s house, with all sorts of old tools and dishes hanging on the wall. Among other things, I saw a sledge and an old butter churn. When I reached the old shed, I took a deep breath to enjoy the lovely smell of tar.

After visiting the museum, I would have liked to see sculptor Eeva Ryynänen’s most famous creation – the Paateri timber church, with its magnificent wooden decorations. Unfortunately, it was 50 kilometres away, and I did not have a car. There is next to no public transport in that part of the country. As a keen cyclist, Inha would, no doubt, have cycled to Paateri in no time, but I had to settle for a walk to the railway station.

TEXT & PHOTOS: KAMILLA BILLIERS

Read the previous articles of the 3-part post: 
1. Visiting the North Karelian town Joensuu
2. Visiting the Koli National Park

Back to nature! Hostelling International Finland's tips for lovers of the great outdoors

HI hostels offer a wide range of accommodation all year round for visitors who want to experience the unique Finnish nature. Whether you want to enjoy the best of the great outdoors without giving up modern comforts or embark on an unforgettable hiking trip on the fells of Finnish Lapland, our hostels offer accommodation options to suit all tastes and budgets. We have picked some of our favourites that are perfect for nature‑lovers.

Photo credits: Vitaliy Glushchenko, Visit Finland 

Timitra Hostel, Lieksa

Timitra is a unique design hostel located in a former training centre of the Finnish Border Guard and surrounded by beautiful nature. The view from the beach sauna of this family-owned hostel opens out over the magnificent Lake Pielinen, and, true to Karelian traditions, the hostel offers a warm welcome to everyone and has won accolades for its tasty menus, which use locally sourced, organic ingredients. The clean and spacious rooms guarantee a peaceful night’s sleep, ensuring that you will be ready for the next day’s adventures.

The Lieksa area offers excellent opportunities for diverse outdoor pursuits, including canoeing, bird watching, fishing, white-water rafting, hiking, and skiing. Koli, Ruunaa, Patvinsuo, and the Karhunpolku trail are only a few examples of what the area has to offer for hikers and walkers. The Rukajärvi road, starting in Lieksa, and the beautiful Änäkäinen area offer a lot to see for visitors interested in Finnish military history.

The hostel has single and double rooms and dorms sleeping 4–5 people. Some of the rooms are hotel standard with en-suite bathrooms. You can book breakfast in the hostel bistro or use the hostel’s shared kitchen. The hostel is around 1.5 kilometres from the Lieksa town centre and ideally situated for convenient use of its services.

Hostel Visatupa, Raudanjoki

Hostel Visatupa, named Hostel of the Year in 2012, is situated in an idyllic lakeside location in the village of Raudanjoki, in the southern part of the municipality of Sodankylä. While Visatupa is a working dairy farm, the proprietors also have several decades’ experience of providing accommodation services.

There is a lot to see and do at Visatupa all year round. In the autumn, for example, guests can go cloudberry-picking in the nearby bogs. The hostel’s friendly service and tasty home-cooked food have won accolades from visitors from all over the world, and guests also have an opportunity to see how a modern dairy farm works. In the summer, you can go fishing on a bike, and in the winter, you can go cross-country skiing or snowshoeing under the Northern Lights. After a busy day, you can relax in the beach sauna and make pancakes in a traditional Lapland-style hut. The staff at Visatupa are also happy to arrange trips other to nearby areas, such as the Pyhä-Luosto area, the Arctic Circle, and Rovaniemi, on request.

Accommodation is available in three separate buildings, and you can choose from rooms sleeping 2–4 people and apartments sleeping 4–6 people. All apartments have a kitchen, fridge, shower, toilet, and sauna. Guests staying in the rooms have access to a large lounge, a kitchen, and bathrooms in the common areas. Visatupa offers accommodation on a full-board or half-board basis.

Hostel Ahopää, Saariselkä

Hostel Ahopää is a dream destination for all lovers of the great outdoors. Right at the edge of the Urho Kekkonen National Park, the hostel offers an ideal base for exploring the unique fell landscape of Finnish Lapland. Whether you are visiting to enjoy the midnight sun or to experience the polar night, the Kiilopää area offers lots to do all year round. The price of accommodation includes use of the sauna in the evenings. And why not try a refreshing dip in a fell river after the sauna? For those who are after a more exotic sauna experience, a traditional smoke sauna is available three times a week, for a separate fee.

Photo credits: Suomen Latu Kiilopää

This area is suitable for a wide range of outdoor activities, and the hostel has a selection of equipment, including GPS devices, available for hire. The accommodation price includes participation in weekly hikes in the Kiilopää area. You can also choose from the many clearly signposted trails and go for a walk or hike on your own or go geocaching.

The hostel has rooms and dorms sleeping 2–6 people. The dorms for male and female guests are separate, with shared toilet facilities just outside the dorms. All guests are welcome to use the shared kitchen, bathroom, and sauna facilities in the main building.

Hostel Hirvikoski, Toholampi

Hostel Hirvikoski is situated on the upper reaches of the River Lestijoki in the village of Sykäräinen, in the Central Ostrobothnia region. At Hostel Hirvikoski, you have the great outdoors on your doorstep, and the surrounding area offers plenty to see for visitors who love beautiful, untamed wilderness, white-water rapids, and bogs. 

More than half of the municipality of Toholampi is bog land, and the beautiful Ostrobothnian heritage landscape is best explored by bike. There are several lean-to shelters in the area, so even longer day hikes can be completed comfortably. The River Lestijoki, which flows through the entire municipality, is a dream destination for anglers. The river is also popular with canoeists.

The hostel has single and double rooms, with shared toilet and shower facilities. The price of a room includes breakfast, so you don’t have to worry about preparing breakfast. Other meals can be prepared in the shared kitchen or booked in advance from the restaurant.

Book your stay directly from the hostel or at www.hihostels.com

Hostelling @ Timitra Hostel in Lieksa

'Hostelling @...' is a post where we take a quick look at the hostels around Finland. This time we're visiting Timitra Hostel in Lieksa.

Timitra Hostel

Lieksa is a town near the Russian border in Karelia. It is also close to Koli, which is seen as the national landscape in Finland.

Are you an HI Member? If you are, you'll get to enjoy a 20% discount off the rental of a kayak at Timitra Hostel.

Lieksa's Timitra Hostel is situated in a building that used to serve the army, but these days it is an atmospheric hostel. The owners of the hostel have decorated the rooms and common areas with timeless Finnish design.

Lieksa also hosts the annual festival Lieksa Brass Week in July, which brings to town brass enthusiasts from all over the world to enjoy the many concerts and other events.

Rooms at Timitra Hostel are big and cozy.

How to get to Lieksa? By train via Joensuu is the most convenient way. You can also catch a bus (sadly not much information in English).