report from the vast forests of the North

Walking in a grey forest. Couldn't get anyone to join me ( people actually work on Tuesday afternoons? ) so it was a solitary experience.

It wasn't the prettiest of forests. But it was quiet, not a soul within many miles. I was entertaining myself by trying to figure out how the rescue services would get to me if I fell and broke my neck ( my plan involved helicopters and huskies ). The trail was supposedly four kilometres but it took me 2.5 hours so I suspect foul play was involved in the signposting.

I saw no animals except a few birds. ( One signpost said encouragingly that seeing a bear around here wasn't unheard of. See above under "Foul Play". ) The ants were still hibernating inside giant anthills. I expected an adder or two but it must have been still too cold for them.

There were information boards placed at intervals along the trail, describing plants, wildlife and the odd creatures you might see if you were of the old religion - fairies, water spirits and such. In reality, the spirits were as absent as the bears.

For the most part, my forest experience consisted of pines, spruces, swamps and rocks. There was, however, a tiny cave where I crawled in ( trusting the huskies to find me if I got stuck ) and an open place where rocks had been laid out to form a primitive compass rose - supposedly to ward off bad luck and originating from the 8th century. There were spruces that were said to have lived through the bad years of the late 19th century, as evidenced by weirdly tangled branches. And there was a picnic spot, complete with fireplace, an axe and a saucepan ( a real Finn needs nothing else, right? ).

 

Chocolate was necessary to raise the morale of the troops.