The Autumn season is in full speed here in Finland. During this time, the days get shorter and we get less and less daylight. It may seem like a dark and depressing season – which it can be – but there is a certain beauty to it as well.
Leaves have already changed their colors and the thousands of forests in Finland are now portraying beautiful shades of red, orange, yellow and brown. The nature is extremely beautiful, and it gives opportunities for many activities to be done.
Hiking
The autumn season is perfect for hiking in Finland. The weather is not too hot anymore and there won’t be any pesky mosquitos to worry about. The wonderful coloring of autumn leaves makes for a fantastic scenery in the many national parks of Finland. Finnish people actually have a name for this color of the leaves, called “ruska”. It is a natural phenomenon that signifies the ending of the summer and the beginning of winter. The further north you go, the more vibrant the “ruska” effect is in nature. That is why Lapland is one of the best places to go during the ruska season. It is perfect for hiking and snapping pictures of the breathtaking sceneries.
Picking berries and mushrooms
Berry and mushroom picking are a very popular activity in Finland. The autumn season happens to be one of the best times to do both of these activities. In Finland, we have this thing called “The Everyman’s Rights”, which allows anyone to go to the forest and pick whatever berries and mushrooms they can find.
When it comes to mushrooms, Finland is a heaven on hearth as the variety of mushrooms in our forests is incredible. The mushroom season continues from mid-May until all the way to late-November. The long season guarantees everyone to be able to pick delicious mushroom to their hearts’ content.
Finland is also known for its “superfoods”, which grow in the forests. These include raspberries, bilberries and lingonberries. They may be smaller than usual, but pack tons of flavor as well as vitamins and nutrients. There is also another berry, called the gold of Lapland’s forest. It goes by the name of cloudberry, which might be the most exotic berry to foreigners.
Spending a day in the forest picking all of these amazing berries and mushrooms is a great activity to do anytime during the autumn season. Just pack some hot chocolate and sandwiches with you and you are all set for a fun day in the forest! It is also something that can be combined with hiking. One thing to remember is that not all berries and mushrooms are edible. Make sure that you check your picked goods aren’t poisonous before eating them.
Hunt the Northern lights
Contrary to the popular belief that Northern lights can only be seen during snowy winter days, autumn and spring are actually the most active seasons. It is yet another reason to indulge in fun activities during this darkening season of autumn.
Watching the Northern lights and capturing pictures of them is a hobby of many people. It is also a new experience for most international students who come to Finland. That is why it is a must activity for everyone. Who wouldn’t want to witness beautiful dancing lights in the sky?
In Finland, Northern lights are generally green but sometimes they might appear in other colors as well. If you want to make sure you are able to catch Northern lights during your stay in Finland, it is recommended to go to Lapland. The Northern lights tend to be the most visible there. However, many people have gotten lucky and seen them in the southern parts of the country as well.
Fishing
Finland is known as the land of thousands of lakes. This includes many rivers that flow into the Baltic Sea. All of this presents the perfect opportunities to fish in peace. Finland is full of great spots for fishing, and autumn is a good season for this activity as well. The beautiful ruska colors that we discussed before adds to the experience of fishing by a calm lake. Autumn is the last season to enjoy fishing before the winter arrives and freezes the lakes. Just remember to purchase a fishing license before you embark on a fishing journey! One of the exceptions is ice-fishing, but that is an activity for another upcoming season.
To read more about living in Finland, check out our other blog posts!
