The wild north of Finland
For me, travelling to the Arctic Circle conjures up magic and adventure. With its huge forests, huskies, Northern Lights and Father Christmas, there's something for everyone
Rovaniemi in the north of Finland, is the capital of Finnish Lapland. It's a land of extremes; in summer the sun never sets and winters are long and cold. It's wrong, though, to regard the winter as dark. The snow reflects either the sun or moonlight, making it surprisingly easy to see. And if you're really lucky, your night might be brightened by one of nature's own spectacular light shows - the Northern Lights.
Rovaniemi itself isn't a very pretty town. Destroyed by the Germans in 1944 (only about seven of the original buildings remain), its architecture is functional and modern. The central area was restored to a plan by Alvar Aalto and is meant to look like a reindeer's antlers, but you need a good imagination to see this! It is, however, a friendly and welcoming town and makes a great base from which to explore the wild and beautiful surrounding areas.
Historically, Rovaniemi was important because it is built on the confluence of two rivers. When lumberjacks worked the forests, they floated their logs downstream to the town. In memory of this, the lumberjack's bridge now spans the river. It's worth taking a boat trip along the river as you get lovely views of the town and islands.
Getting back to nature
Depending on what time of year you visit, you can enjoy a variety of outdoor activities. There are plenty of opportunities to go walking, cycling, rafting, canoeing or fishing. If you visit in autumn, or ruska as it's known there, as the leaves change colour, you'll be treated to a vivid display of reds and golds. In winter, you can ski, try your hand at snowmobiling, or drive a husky sledge, and of course, visit Father Christmas. And in summer, you can enjoy your outdoor activities throughout the day and night, as it's the land of the midnight sun.
One of the highlights of my visit was a trip to a husky farm. Nothing quite prepares you for the sound of up to 60 dogs all wildly excited and keen to be included in whatever is going on! Nine huskies joined us for a walk in the forest with Teuvo Mikkonen, the owner of Hirvaan Husky. He explained that the dogs loved to run and could pull the sledges for miles. They were all very pleased with themselves as they streaked through the forest, racing each other and bounding and bouncing around. It's not a trip for the faint-hearted, or those who are unsure of dogs, but their obvious pleasure, and total devotion to their owner, was lovely to watch.
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