Wappu, or first of May is a huge celebration in Finland, traditionally celebrated by hiking to a hill and drinking alcohol. This is very different from other festivities in Finland, where the part about the hill is omitted.
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May 2016, Kauniainen ski hill, Kauniainen, Finland; Saunalahden onkalo, Espoo, Finland; Suomenojan siirtolohkare, Espoo, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Caving (Basic, Rock, Morphology-Crystallization, Rock-Gneiss); Caving (Basic, Morphology-Boulders, Rock, Rock-Gneiss)
Salo, southern Finland. More than an hour away by car, and we've been in the forest for an hour now. The cave is nowhere to be found. I have coordinates, but in the wrong coordinate system and Google isn't co-operating to interpret them in the right way.
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April 2016, Rosvoluola, Salo, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Crack, Basic)
Icy holes. Those are the best ones!
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April 2016, Mäyrämäen kellari, Lapinjärvi, Finland
Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Crack)
Bombergsgrottan has a small entrance, a hole at the bottom of a big cliff. But the small hole hides a big (25m, big by Finnish standards) cave that extends left and right under the cliff.
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April 2016, Bombergsgrottan, Liljendal, Finland
Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Granite)
Caves in Finland may be small, but fortunately also claustrophobia-inducing. Caves are also not well known, but this one has an actual road sign and a parking lot!
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February 2016, Torholan luola, Lohja, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Limestone, Morphology-Karst, Basic)
If this cave wasn't next to Torhola's great karst cave, it would be remarkable. Now, it is largely ignored.
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February 2016, Torholan luola 2, Lohja, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Limestone, Morphology-Karst, Basic)
Tampere. A great destination for the winter vacation. But can you take the city bus to the slopes? Yes you can.
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February 2016, Mustavuori, Tampere, Finland; Tampereen rinteet Hervanta, Hervanta, Tampere, Finland; Hirvi-Simunan luola, Lempäälä, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Boulders, Basic)
I like caves and skiing, of course, but it is rare that the two mix. But in Cervinia there's small cave that you can ski through. If you dare.
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February 2016, Cervinia, Italy; Small cave, Cervinia, Italy; Small cave, Cervinia, Italy
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Skiing (Outdoor, Underground, Snow, Lifts); Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Boulders, Morphology-Crack, Skiing)
It was a cold night in HEL, -29 degrees at the Helsinki-Vantaa airport. I felt like I needed to go south to find better skiing weather.
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January 2016, Kekestetö, Hungary; Palvolgyi Cave, Budapest, Hungary
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Caving (Rock, Rock-Limestone, Morphology-Karst, Basic, Showtour)
Imagine rocks thrown together, all sizes all the way up to house-sized boulders. Korkberget doesn't get more than a brief mention in "Caves of Finland". But it is one of the biggest caves in our area, and quite a maze.
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December 2015, Korkbergetin lohkareluola, Kirkkonummi, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Boulders, Basic)
You have to take six lifts to get to the top. And we were late, because travel. But it turns out you can also stay late. By the time we started our final 2km vertical descent, it was already dark.
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December 2015, Engelberg, Switzerland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Crack, Basic); Sauna (Normal)
There are usually no great views from caves, at least not of the sunset. Except at Rokokallio.
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December 2015, Päällysluola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Kuusijärvi, Vantaa, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Crack, Basic); Sauna (Smoke); Swimming (Ice, Water, Waterbody-Lake, Beach)
I thought there are no caves in Finland, but there are some! This weekend's adventure was to visit the specially formed Högberget flow-erosion cave.
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December 2015, Högberget, Kirkkonummi, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Erosion, Basic)
I like caves, but feel suspicious of touristy tours. They usually leave a bland feeling, too easy, too packaged. Not so with Ruby Falls in Chattanooga, Tennesee!
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October 2015, Ruby Falls, Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
Caving (Rock, Rock-Limestone, Morphology-Karst, Basic, Showtour)
A blown-up bunker. Debris. Darkness. Bats. Concrete rising to the heights. Walls hanging where they should not be. An ideal climbing place, if it wasn't for the grim past of this place and the morbid pictures of soldiers.
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June 2015, Humboldthain Flaktürme, Berlin, Germany
Climbing (Wall); Caving (Man-Made); Urban-Exploration (Bunkers)
Orrido Bellano is a deep canyon or a gorge, formed through water sculpting the rock. There are beautiful rock formations and caves within the gorge. It can be accessed by paying a fee to walk the walkways attached to the walls of the gorge.
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May 2015, Orrido di Bellano, Bellano, Italy
Caving (Basic, Rock, Morphology-Erosion)