Scenery – Page 2 – Blue Moment

Day 168: Local Sights

August 4, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Activities, Alanna, Asikkala, Finland, Kiara, Nature, Outdoors, Sport, Stuart, Travelling, WaterTagged 365 Project, Activities, Alanna, Finland, Kiara, Nature, Outdoors, Scenery, Sport, Stuart, TravelLeave a comment

When something is close to home, you rarely see it as anything special.

Pulkkilanharju is a narrow esker gormed during the Ice Age. It is surrounded by the open waters of lake Päijänne, with small green islands dotting the landscape. It is often listed as one of the most scenic drives in Finland.

But because it is so close to the summer cottage, years can pass without us visiting.

This year, we decided not only to drive across it, but also to walk the short nature trail in the national park. The girls insisted the terrain was so challenging they couldn’t possibly have finished the walk without the 1,5l of bilberries they ate along the way. It really wasn’t. But the bilberries were clearly excellent.

We finished the adventure with lunch and ice cream at Vääksy Lock. Another piece of Finland’s must-see scenery.

Day 164: At 5 am

July 31, 2026July 31, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Activities, Nature, Outdoors, Stuart, Stuart, TravellingTagged 365 Project, Activities, Holidays, Nature, Scenery, StuartLeave a comment

The Football World Cup ended yesterday, with Spain beating Argentina – and with a clear difference in the quality of play if not in the score.

We followed the tournament more closely than we expected, considering it was held in North America. The time difference made many of the matches impractical to watch. Yet, we managed one almost daily.

After eight weeks invested in the Cup, we wanted to watch the final too. It kicked off at 10pm. When it went to extra time just after midnight, we started to get nervous. It ended at 1am.

The alarm went off at 4am.

The 5 am bus was the last one that took bicycles and still got us to Helsinki in time to pick up the girls from camp

The sunrise was beautiful, though.

Day 163: On To Kotka

July 30, 2026July 30, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Finland, Nature, Outdoors, Sport, Stuart, Stuart, TravellingTagged 365 Project, Finland, Holidays, Nature, Outdoors, Scenery, Sport, Stuart, Summer, TravelLeave a comment

The clouds were heavy today, but there was (almost) no rain. The occassional drizzle – so light that the wind dried us faster than the rain got us wet – doesn’t count.

A win in my books.

The route from Loviisa to Kotka was mostly on paved roads, rather than the forest tracks and gravel roads we usually look for. In fact, we occassionally end up in paths more suited to game tracks in our determination to avoid bigger roads. Only once have we been forced to backtrack for more than a kilometer or so.

We’ve been lost at least twice.

Still, there were several interesting stops: the Loviisa fortress ruins, Strömfors Iron Works, the Savukoski Museum Bridge and the Tsar’s Fishing Lodge. What supprised us the most was finding a quite large and lovingly nurtured English Garden in the middle of absolutely nowhere (Erja’s Garden).

Finally, a note to self: Sunday evening is not the right time to find great restaurants in Kotka.

Day 162: Porvoo-Loviisa

July 29, 2026July 29, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Architecture, Finland, Nature, Outdoors, Sport, Stuart, Stuart, TravellingTagged 365 Project, Architecture, Finland, Nature, Outdoors, Scenery, Sport, Stuart, Summer, TravelLeave a comment

A few days before the weekend, the forecast was still predicting massive rainfall – as much rain in two days as we normally get in the whole of July. With that in mind, partly cloudy Saturday felt like a win.

The cycle path from Porvoo to Loviisa meanderered through fields and forests. A few small villages and the occassional grand manor house dotted the route.

Stuart and I have developed a tradition of betting on which animal we see first on our cycling trips (cats, dogs and birds don’t count). I played it safe and put my money on a cow. Stuart guessed a horse. He won – although technically that was only the second one. The first animal we saw was a donkey. Maybe I should have known.

We did not see a single cow during the entire trip. Not one.

Loviisa is another lovely seaside town with a wooden old town and very popular harbor district with cafes and restaurants. Fortunately, the rain gave us a good excuse to call it a night early.

Day 161: Cycling Trip

July 28, 2026July 29, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Activities, Finland, Nature, Outdoors, Stuart, TravellingTagged 365 Project, Activities, Finland, Holidays, Nature, Outdoors, Scenery, Stuart, Summer, TravelLeave a comment

Start of the summer holiday.

The girls, carrying their enormous rucksacks, hopped on a bus and headed to Väiski, a scout camp in Parainen forests with 1,800 kids. Stuart and I seized the opportunity, jumped on our bikes and headed for Porvoo. The plan is to cycle to Kotka over the weekend (about 130km in total).

We have cycled from Espoo to Porvoo before, and the route is not particularily interesting. So this time, we decided to take the J.L Runeberg, a museum ship that sails from Helsinki to Porvoo. Great weather, pleasant sailing, cool ship… but too many people.

Porvoo itself, is a picturesque little town with a cobbled old town, good restaurants, quaint shops and a few decent museums, including the old home of Finland’s national poet, Runeberg.

And luckily Porvoo is worth spending a little time in. Our hotel, approx 25 km away, was in the middle of nowhere, with not even a restaurant nearby. Therefore, timing dinner at the last restaurant on the way required a bit of a planning.

The last few kilometers, with the sun setting on our backs, were beautiful.

By the time we opened the last beers on the hotel garden, it felt like holiday.

Day 157: Inkoo

July 24, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Activities, Architecture, Family, Finland, OutdoorsTagged 365 Project, Activities, Architecture, family, Finland, History, Scenery, SummerLeave a comment

It has been the first summer that Alanna and Kiara haven’t spent in kindergarten. Despite a few camps and some time at the summer cottage, six weeks of holiday while Stuart and I are still working is a long time to kill.

The girls aren’t, strictly speaking, home alone. Stuart and I have both been working remotely. But they are in charge of their own snacks, lunch and – most importantly – their entertainment. And many of their frieds are out of town.

So whenever we can, we go somewhere. Even if it’s just a dinner and a short walk in Inkoo.

Day 133: Midsummer Moods

June 29, 2026June 29, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Alanna, Asikkala, Cooking, Family, Festivals, Kiara, Nature, Outdoors, TraditionsTagged 365 Project, Alanna, family, Finland, Food, Holidays, Kiara, Nature, Outdoors, Scenery, Summer CottageLeave a comment

Finns are always surprised when the weather is good at Midsummer. Although, I could be a spoilsport and note that every single one of the five Midsummers since we moved bach has been beautiful.

Then again, I still remember the years of +9°C and rain, so I mostly let people enjoy their weather debates.

Anyway, it is hard to capture the essence of Midsummer in single picture. I cheated and made a collage. Good food, good drinks, the midnight sun, summer…

Day 124: Sunset in Hannusjärvi

June 20, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Espoo, Nature, Outdoors, WaterTagged 365 Project, Espoo, Nature, Outdoors, SceneryLeave a comment

It is impossible to take a picture of a sunset without it looking fake. I still keep trying.

Day 111: 10,000 Photos

June 5, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Asikkala, Nature, OutdoorsTagged 365 Project, Scenery, Summer CottageLeave a comment

Our summer cottage has been in the family for longer than I’ve been alive. I have spent every summer by this same shore. Some little things have changed, but very little.

I got into photography in 2008. Since then, I have probably taken 500 images every year with this same scenery as a backgroung – often even from this very same spot. That’s nearly 10,000 photos.

And it is still worth taking just one more.

Day 102: When The World Turns Pink

May 24, 2026May 24, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Helsinki, Nature, OutdoorsTagged 365 Project, Helsinki, Nature, Scenery, SpringLeave a comment

A few years ago, Stuart and I took our bikes on the metro to the opposite side of Helsinki. It is a great way to find some new interesting routes, instead of riding the same routes over and over again.

Anyway, on that day we stumbled upon the biggest pocket of cherry trees in Helsinki. It was the peak blossom time, and the park was phenomenal.

This year, when I saw the cherries are blooming, I decided to go back with a proper camera. But, as it so often happens, I got busy and waited a few days too long. I managed to catch the blooms maybe on the last day they were still properly pink. The sunnier batches of the trees had already turned green.

I’ll try again next year.