http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Finlandic advice / suggestions please en Wed, 13 May 2026 03:08:20 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=20121#post-324286 Wed, 11 Mar 2020 09:30:27 +0000 I were right about that saddle 324286@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@paddyirish</p> <p>I am keen to turn a pedal or two in the Finnish woods, but as @gembo suggests the main motivation is Heavy Metal Knitting. (My favourite heavy metal is probably bismuth, despite my known fondness for mercury, and my favourite knitting style is Shetland lace knitting.) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=20121#post-324284 Wed, 11 Mar 2020 07:55:28 +0000 gembo 324284@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@paddyirish, try not to beat yourself up too much. Our default will generally be cycling related after all. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=20121#post-324279 Tue, 10 Mar 2020 23:42:53 +0000 paddyirish 324279@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@gembo, I did know that, my bad... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=20121#post-324277 Tue, 10 Mar 2020 22:35:31 +0000 gembo 324277@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@paddyirish, I like your thinking but I would encourage you also to check out the World Heavy Metal Knitting Championships </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=20121#post-324276 Tue, 10 Mar 2020 22:30:11 +0000 paddyirish 324276@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@IWRATS, assume you read <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2020/feb/08/why-finland-leads-the-field-when-it-comes-to-winter-cycling">this</a> and that is why Joensuu? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=20121#post-324093 Sat, 07 Mar 2020 23:04:35 +0000 I were right about that saddle 324093@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Rat-piss pasta. We remember. We cannot forget. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=20121#post-324079 Sat, 07 Mar 2020 14:21:04 +0000 minus six 324079@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>as this thread also serves up mice advice -</p> <p>they really aren't keen on peppermint oil.</p> <p>use a diffuser to give affected areas a strong peppermint aroma</p> <p>any noted ingress areas, stuff with a rag saturated in peppermint oil works wonders</p> <p>also wee saucers of peppermint oil on skirting board runs wherever you spot any mouse droppings</p> <p>they'll soon disappear elsewhere</p> <p>this advice does not extend to rats however </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=20121#post-324040 Fri, 06 Mar 2020 20:11:03 +0000 paddyirish 324040@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@unhurt - sent some more specific advice to IWRATS</p> <p>Quick post here on the cycling which was an immediate reaction when I got home</p> <p><a href="http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18137#post-260595" rel="nofollow">http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18137#post-260595</a></p> <p>Highlights for me were Suomenlinna- a fortress island about 1/2 hr by ferry from the port - a world heritage site worth 1/2 day.</p> <p>The Icebreaker fleet is on the Katajanokka peninsula and worth a walk past - they are huge.</p> <p>We stayed in Katajanokka jail which was fun - you get your own cell which was very clean and comfortable and a good feed the next day. The first place I've seen handcuffs in a vending machine...</p> <p>The Ateneum Art Museum near the main station was well worth a trip- we got a personal guided trip by a former employee, which really added to it.</p> <p>In general it was expensive, though i found that I could eat more than adequately (for similar prices) out of supermarkets and have one meal out per day.</p> <p>I got a tip about a soup kitchen at the Hakaniemi Market and it was well worth a visit- had parsnip smoked reinderer soup which was superb and many veggie alternatives.</p> <p>If you are veggie, best you don't read on...</p> <p>the best place was Lappi Ravintola a real gastronomic adventure- Lapp cuisine - <a href="https://lappires.com/en/" rel="nofollow">https://lappires.com/en/</a></p> <p>There was an expensive Russian restaurant near Tove Janssen square which sold potted bear, but we didn't end up going there.</p> <p>Regrets were not going for a sauna, though we had one in our room in the last night, and also missing out on a trip to Porvoo, about 50 km East, which looked lovely.</p> <p>Happy to share cycle routes if you like. was lovely getting outside the city on a good day </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=20121#post-324034 Fri, 06 Mar 2020 19:08:28 +0000 unhurt 324034@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@paddyirish a few days in Helsinki seem like a definite plan - I might have a German friend with me for that part, and if she can hire a bike that's even better...</p> <p>@acsimpson yes, my timing is partly to avoid the flying teeth! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=20121#post-324000 Fri, 06 Mar 2020 10:49:40 +0000 I were right about that saddle 324000@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@acsimpson</p> <p>But all the best paths are bogs? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=20121#post-323993 Thu, 05 Mar 2020 23:37:39 +0000 acsimpson 323993@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I was there as a teenager and don't remember much other than discovering the path was a bog which we had to push the bike through. The bog was of course home to some vicious flying vampire beasts which make midges look timid.</p> <p>It was also interesting trying to sleep in a tent on the arctic cirle +/- in the middle of summer.</p> <p>That aside I have fond memories of the trip, just not the cycling. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=20121#post-323957 Thu, 05 Mar 2020 15:39:09 +0000 paddyirish 323957@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I was there in September 2018 and it was great. Helsinki has its hire bikes and 1200km of cycle paths in the greater city atea. It is perhaps the most car free city centre of its size I have visited. I went to Jyvaskula in the lake district, Mrs Paddy was at a conference. It was cold and wet.</p> <p>Finns are great foragers, seems a source of national pride and identity. So expect to see lots of berries and chanterelle mushrooms, as September is a perfect time to visit for that. </p> <p>Happy if you want to PM for further details of what we did </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=20121#post-323953 Thu, 05 Mar 2020 14:59:08 +0000 I were right about that saddle 323953@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Go and see CORSON. He'll have mice. Maybe. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=20121#post-323951 Thu, 05 Mar 2020 14:49:35 +0000 unhurt 323951@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I suspect mice are a self-renewing / replicating resource and am unconvinced that I would ever need to pay cash money for some. Though if it's not like-for-like replacement maybe I could upgrade to a <a href="http://www.crittery.co.uk/index.php/species-index/exotic-mice/zebra-mice">higher-end model</a> of mouse... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=20121#post-323948 Thu, 05 Mar 2020 14:44:03 +0000 I were right about that saddle 323948@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>No, so that you could purchase new mice to replace any that died. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=20121#post-323947 Thu, 05 Mar 2020 14:41:17 +0000 unhurt 323947@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Frenchy - I love that site, and it's given me many, many "bad" ideas.</p> <p>@Iwrats - so I can reclaim the costs of counselling to deal with the inevitable guilt generated by intentional mouse murder? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=20121#post-323897 Wed, 04 Mar 2020 17:20:20 +0000 Frenchy 323897@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'm sure you're already aware of <a href="https://www.seat61.com" rel="nofollow">https://www.seat61.com</a>, but linking in case anyone reading this isn't, and is planning similar adventures.</p> <p>In particular, he has what looks like a useful map of the various train and ferry options between London and Scandinavia here: <a href="https://www.seat61.com/Finland.htm#Route%20map" rel="nofollow">https://www.seat61.com/Finland.htm#Route%20map</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=20121#post-323896 Wed, 04 Mar 2020 17:09:40 +0000 I were right about that saddle 323896@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'll be there in July and will scope it out for you.</p> <p>(I read the title as 'Financial Advice/ suggestions' and I was ready to sell you mouse insurance.) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=20121#post-323895 Wed, 04 Mar 2020 17:06:54 +0000 unhurt 323895@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Suppose it depends if he went south through Finland or Sweden! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=20121#post-323893 Wed, 04 Mar 2020 17:01:25 +0000 Arellcat 323893@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Long(ish) shot but Urpo Taskinen might have some ideas for you? He cycled to Paris, from his home town of Juoksengi in Sweden, to attend COP 21, and he made a film about it.</p> <p><a href="https://twitter.com/urpotaskinen" rel="nofollow">https://twitter.com/urpotaskinen</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgtIhE9NWoY" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgtIhE9NWoY</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=20121#post-323892 Wed, 04 Mar 2020 16:55:09 +0000 unhurt 323892@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Q1: Anyone been bike touring in Finland? Met a woman from <a href="https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Oulu,+Finland/@65.2038582,24.8824643,9z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x468032a8c02185c1:0x8bb02d322b12e97d!8m2!3d65.0120888!4d25.4650772?hl=en">Oulo</a> on a ferry to Orkney and later we hung out in Edinburgh - I may have rashly announced I would visit Finland by bike this September. Hoping to arrive by train or ferry. Helsinki seems a must. Oulo to say hi to Katja &amp; family. But where else? Along the Bothnian coast? East to do some autumn bear watching in the border national parks? Head right up north, take a wee side-trip over the border to Murmansk? </p> <p>I've been promised that Finland's copious biting things with wings will have mostly gone by September.</p> <p>Q2: Name the quality film:<br /> <em>No, this is the Valley. Finland is the capital of Norway.</em> </p>