My home lake, Lake Lohja, was colder today than I presumed. Only around 13-14 °C in Kivessalmi Strait. So I put on my Aquaskin half suit and it helped me stay a bit longer in water. I wanted to explore the shoreline high rocks, which are partly so steep, that there’s no access by land, unless you have climbing kit with you. Many protected plants, especially various moss and lichens, grow on these calcareous rocks. Wagtails love to jump and fly … Read More

It was a very special swim with my daughter by the Olympic Pool in Hämeenlinna. We had brand new wetsuits and goggles and they proved to be just awesome. Water in Lake Ahvenistonjärvi was green and very clear, typical to kettle hole lakes. Water temperature was around 13 °C. Before swimming we walked along a nature trail around the lake (2K). Ahvenisto Park, which was build for modern pentathlon in Helsinki Olympic Games 1952, has olympic sized outdoor pool just on … Read More

Lake Kattilajärvi is a clear and remote little lake in Nuuksio National Park area. I was surprised to find a public beach there. Then I noticed there was a small camping center and maybe that’s why the beach was equipped with pier, swimming dock, life belt, etc. Water was really clear and there were hardly any cabins by the lake. I didn’t have time to wander in the woods, but headed soon to Haltia Nature Center to have a lunch. … Read More

  I took five foreign guests with me to Uutela beach. Our joint interest is to promote and increase participation in watersports in the EU. #GetWet is the motto of our project, so it was natural for me to enter the chilly Baltic. 🙂 I got Eduard to put on my much-too-small wetsuit and follow me to the water with SUP paddle board. The others stayed on shore, maybe thinking we were really cold. But we weren’t at all and … Read More

    What could be better than to rinse off a hectic working day at one of Nuuksio National Park’s tiny ponds? I drove to Hauklampi Pond and sinked myself into its brownish water. This lake upland area was again so silent and secret, that it was hard to believe that busy Helsinki City is only 30 mins away. Location: Hauklampi Pond, Nuuksio National Park, Espoo More of Nuuksio National Park

Lake Lohja, my home lake, has an area of 122 km² with 31 km² of islands. It has rich and versatile nature, but also it offers different views to cultural landscape. I went Karstu public beach, which is on the north-west side of the lake. While swimming I spotted Church of St. Lawrence, which is built in the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries, tower of Tytyri limestone mine and Mine Museum, Pitkäniemi industrial area with an old paper mill. A view … Read More

‘ Lake Hormajärvi is really nice clear water lake in Lohja. Because it’s tranquil, loons populate on the lake willingly. I was lucky to swim with one loon on a rainy morning. It came quite close, only 5 meters from me and I felt I had a swimming companion. Probably it was nesting and watched over me that I don’t head towards the nest. Opposite the public beach there’s an islet nearby, which is fun to swim around like a … Read More

There are plenty of waterfalls in Lapland Highlands, but in Southern Finland they are rare. I was lucky to find Rissla Falls near to my home Lake Lohja, situated north of the historical Fiskars Village in Raasepori. There at first I had a nice swim in Lake Myllyjärvi, where from Risslaån River flows down. Then I had a dip in a small upstream pool. Finally I balanced myself to Rissla cascade and enjoyed a chilly shower under it. Nice paths go … Read More

Kaitalampi is very popular among open water swimmers. It’s 0,2 km narrow and 1,3 km long pond. Quite peaceful, very beautiful and only 25 km from Helsinki. I planned to swim longer, and water being 14 °C, I borrowed my friend’s wetsuit and felt anguish wearing it….A Canada goose followed us, when we headed to the other end of the pond. She was just curious, not at all aggressive. Lucky us. There are buoys for swimmers and so Kaitalampi is … Read More

This small, 15 m deep lake is very popular during day time, but late in the evening all sunbathers are gone and it’s is great for a lonely evening swim. Lake is part of a Kytäjä-Usmi outdoor area, a pristine Finnish wilderness with forests, ponds, stream, lakes and cliffs. Location: Usminjärvi (0,11 km²), Hyvinkää More information: Map of Kytäjä-Usmi hiking area in Hyvinkää Photos