If your caving friend was coming over for a weekend, what would you show about the Finnish caving scene? Here's our menu for a caving buffet, covering everything from ice saunas to block caves to cracks in granite, mines, limestone caves, to salmon meals to ... did I already mention saunas? Not to forget Sibelius for dessert!
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September 2023, Viking Glory, Stockholm, Sweden; Luolavuoren luola, Turku, Finland; Rotkoluola, Kaarina, Finland; Itäkeskuksen uimahalli, Helsinki, Finland; House Arkko, Kauniainen, Finland; Högberget, Kirkkonummi, Finland; Ansabunkkeri, Siuntio, Finland; Korkbergetin lohkareluola, Kirkkonummi, Finland; Hvitträsk cliff, Kirkkonummi, Finland
Sauna (Normal, Steam, Other); Caving (Basic, Rock, Morphology-Crack, Morphology-Boulders, Equipment); Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Crack, Equipment); Sauna (Normal, Steam); Swimming (Water, Waterbody-Pool, Indoor); Travel; Caving (Basic, , Rock, Equipment, Morphology-Erosion); Urban-Exploration (Bunkers); Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Boulders); Urban-Exploration (Historic-Sites)
Korkberget is my favorite local cave. Also one of Finland's largest block caves, even if you don't get to go very dark while going through the cave; in most places you can see entrances and light between the boulders. But it is a wonderful sight, a great squeeze exercise, and nice back massage. And clearly an opportunity to practice much needed flexibility by the cavers :-)
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September 2023, Korkbergetin lohkareluola, Kirkkonummi, Finland
Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Boulders)
A canyon. A wonder of nature that I did not know existed in Finland. Amazing, truly amazing green views! A place so secret that I do not wish to even tell its name or coordinates, for fear of leading more traffic to this delicate natural place. The place is near Turku, however. Let's call the it "Kaarinan rotkoluola" (Kaarina crack cave). You may ask how we knew about this place. We had a friend with us with knowledge... so here we were.
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September 2023, Rotkoluola, Kaarina, Finland
Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Crack, Equipment)
Our first stop on the grand tour of southern Finland caves was in Turku, in the Luolavuori cave (The Cave Mountain Cave :-) ). We ended up trying for fun various lights, an oil lamp and a new Black Diamond headlamp that supports not just white but also red, green, and blue light. Very nice effects!
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September 2023, Luolavuoren luola, Turku, Finland
Caving (Basic, Rock, Morphology-Crack, Morphology-Boulders, Equipment)
As part of our exploration trip to the Njiellalanjávri area, we scouted all signs of limestone around lakes Njiellalanjávri, Toskaljärvi, Veajetjávrrit, and Láfoljávri lakes, and the mountains in between. In some cases limestone was easy to identify, known to be limestone, in other cases it was not so easy to identify by non-experts. But we think we made a reasonable analysis, and found quite many places where there is at least potential limestone. There's plenty of loose rock pieces that are clearly limestone, but the more interesting target for us were ground rock layers. Or larger collections of potential limestone rock pieces that might indicate a ground rock layer would be somewhere nearby.
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August 2023, Toskaljärven maanalainen joki, Enontekiö, Finland; Njiellalanjávri, Enontekiö, Finland; Láfolvárrit, Enontekiö, Finland
Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Limestone, Morphology-Karst, Researching); Hiking; Climbing (Mountain)
As part of our exploration trip to the Njiellalanjávri area, we scouted all possible cave holes around lakes Njiellalanjávri, Toskaljärvi, Veajetjávrrit, and Láfoljávri lakes, and the mountains in between. We also scouted for limestone (see separate article).
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August 2023, Láfolvárritin rinteen lohkareluolanen, Enontekiö, Finland; Láfoljávrin jyrkänteen kolmioluolanen, Enontekiö, Finland; Láfolvárritin harjanteen lippaluola lohkareella, Enontekiö, Finland; Skaidin pikkukolot, Enontekiö, Finland; Toskaljärven maanalainen joki, Enontekiö, Finland; Toskaljärven jyrkänteen lohkareluolanen, Enontekiö, Finland; Toskaljärven jyrkänteen vesiputouksen lohkareluolanen, Enontekiö, Finland; Láfolvárritin harjanteen puronuomaluolanen, Enontekiö, Finland; Láfolvárritin harjanteen lohkarealusta, Enontekiö, Finland; Láfolvárritin lohkare, Enontekiö, Finland; Toskaljärven jyrkänteen kolo, Enontekiö, Finland; Láfolvárritin harjanteen oviaukkokolo, Enontekiö, Finland; Láfolvárritin harjanteen sivuhalkeama 1, Enontekiö, Finland; Láfolvárritin harjanteen sivuhalkeama 2, Enontekiö, Finland; Láfolvárritin harjanteen alempi lippaluolanen, Enontekiö, Finland; Láfolvárritin harjanteen ylempi lippaluolanen, Enontekiö, Finland; Láfolvárritin pieni halkeamaluolanen, Enontekiö, Finland; Láfolvárritin minihalkeama, Enontekiö, Finland; Veajetoaivon lippaluolanen, Enontekiö, Finland; Veajetjávrritin kanjonin luolanen, Enontekiö, Finland; Láfoljávrin jyrkänteen paperiluolanen, Enontekiö, Finland
Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Gneiss, Morphology-Boulders, Morphology-Crack); Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Gneiss, Morphology-Boulders, Morphology-Crack); Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Gneiss, Morphology-Boulders, Morphology-Crack); Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Gneiss, Morphology-Boulders, Morphology-Crack); Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Limestone, Morphology-Karst, Surveying); Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Gneiss, Surveying, Morphology-Boulders); Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Gneiss, Surveying, Morphology-Boulders); Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Gneiss, Surveying, Morphology-Boulders); Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Gneiss, Surveying, Morphology-Boulders); Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Gneiss, Surveying, Morphology-Boulders); Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Gneiss, Surveying, Morphology-Crack); Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Gneiss, Surveying, Morphology-Crack); Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Gneiss, Surveying, Morphology-Crack); Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Gneiss, Surveying, Morphology-Crack); Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Gneiss, Surveying, Morphology-Crack); Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Gneiss, Surveying, Morphology-Crack); Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Gneiss, Surveying, Morphology-Crack); Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Gneiss, Surveying, Morphology-Crack); Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Gneiss, Surveying, Morphology-Crack); Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Unknown, Morphology-Unknown); Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Unknown, Morphology-Unknown)
Last week I went with Jarmo Ruuth and Duncan Simey to look at Njiellalajävri lake and surroundings in the Käsivarsi wilderness area. This is a far-away area almost at the Norwegian border. We saw no one in the area except for a few reindeer. There are not even common hiking paths. The Internet knows very little about this lake, not even a picture. Despite the incredible beauty of the lakes and the rock! We knew the area only through satellite images, geological surveys and maps.
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August 2023, Njiellalanjávri, Enontekiö, Finland; Toskaljärven maanalainen joki, Enontekiö, Finland
Caving (None, Research); Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Limestone, Morphology-Karst, Researching); Hiking; Flying
I had only heard about the Postojna Cave before coming to Slovenia. But it turns out that there are many caves (of course) as well as many very interesting or famous cave sites. Right next to the Postojna cave, a 10 minute car ride away for instance is the Predjama Castle, which is world's largest castle built in a cave.
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July 2023, Predjama Castle, Postojna, Slovenia
Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Limestone, Morphology-Karst); Urban-Exploration (Military, Castles, Historic-Sites)
Took some dogs and kids to a cave today, the Högberget cave in Kirkkonummi (near Peuramaa). Amazingly, none of them were particularly impressed or interested. Just another place, moving on to picnics and computer gaming or peeing on plants and light poles... which is ok and natural.
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July 2023, Högberget, Kirkkonummi, Finland
Caving (Basic, , Rock, Equipment, Morphology-Erosion)
We were driving back from the technical museum of Slovenia - a massive museum, by the way, well worth visiting. Then there was a hole in a cliff we drove by. I had to stop. The cliff was next to a parking lot and a bus stop, in town of Notranje Gorice near Ljubljana. No one was paying any attention... too many nice caves in this country, I guess. I decided to call the cave the Forgotten Cave. And I did go in.
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July 2023, Forgotten Cave, Notranje Gorice, Slovenia
Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Limestone, Morphology-Unknown)
Riding the train to the inside of the Postojna cave in Slovenia. The ride takes eight minutes through wonderful cave scenery. And then the actual cave tour starts, lasting an hour and a half. Is this the best show cave in the world???
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July 2023, Postojna Cave, Postojna, Slovenia
Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Limestone, Morphology-Karst, Showtour)
Petnička pećina is an old but abandoned show cave in the limestone rock hills near the town Ваљево (Valjevo), Serbia. While only 600 meters long, the cave feels massive due to its vertical differences and the high halls. Just look the two people in the above picture for scale. And the "eyes" in the ceiling! The cave is also Europe's largest cave tomb.
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June 2023, Petnička pećina, Ваљево, Serbia
Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Limestone, Morphology-Karst)
Bärenhöhle: small cave by Central European standards, but a wonderful place to visit. And easy. A nice hike to a lush valley on a path and there you are. Water is flowing from the cave, dropping through the steps of rocks... moss has painted the cave green... there's a bit of climbing if you want to get to the end of the cave. Very nice!
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May 2023, Bärenhöhle, Rodalben, Germany; Bärenhöhle side cavelet 1, Rodalben, Germany; Bärenhöhle side cavelet 2, Rodalben, Germany
Caving (Basic, Rock-Limestone, Surveying); Caving (Basic, Rock-Limestone)
The Finnish Caving Association had a nice meet-up in May ... we went to the Rokokallio, a high cliff in Vihti. High for Finland at least :-) Everybody joined... men, women, and dogs... and I worked with Ralf to systematically go through the cliff area and take positions and photos of all the caves. There's a total of 21 underground holes in the cliff and under boulders, though a few the holes are perhaps too small to be proper caves. We used Ralf's addition to the association's cave database user interface (Psgeo) to make the getting of the positions easy.
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May 2023, Ahdas luolanen, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Halkeamaluola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Hiotun kiven luola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Jakoluola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Kahden kolon luola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Kallionkololuola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Kivenalusluola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Kivikasan luola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Käytäväluola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Lippaluola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Lohkareenalusluola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Pikkuhalkeamaluolanen, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Pikkukiven alusluolanen, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Pikkulippaluolanen, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Päällysluola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Pääluola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Päänuotiopaikan luola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Syvä halkeamaluola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Terävän kiven alusluola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Toinen nuotiopaikan luola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Yläkolon luolanen, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland
Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Gneiss, Morphology-Crack, Morphology-Boulders); Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Gneiss, Morphology-Boulders); Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Gneiss, Morphology-Crack, Morphology-Erosion); Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Gneiss, Morphology-Crack)
Kamenice beach is an out-of-the-way for most people visiting the Komiza village. Komiza is a picturesque fishing village on the island of Vis in the Adriatic Sea archipelago in Croatia.
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April 2023, Kamenice Beach Cave, Komiza, Croatia; Kamenice Beach, Komiza, Croatia; Dog Beach, Komiza, Croatia
Caving (Basic, Rock, Morphology-Erosion); Swimming (None, Waterbody-Sea, Beach)
Only in Japan: They have a "candle lending service" at cave. And it is not like it is a dark, lightless place even without the candles - the Enoshima cave has lighting, but obviously the candles are a remarkable addition to the experience. On the other hand, since the candles are actual candles with actual fire, there is now a need to have a fire alarm system, if somebody accidentally sets the cave on fire...
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March 2023, Enoshima Island, Fujisawa, Japan; Enoshima Iwaya Cave, Fujisawa, Japan; Enoshima Iwaya Cave 2, Fujisawa, Japan; Enoshima Iwaya mini cavelet 1, Fujisawa, Japan; Enoshima Iwaya mini cavelet 2, Fujisawa, Japan; Shinto Shrine, Fujisawa, Japan
Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Limestone, Morphology-Erosion, Showtour); Caving (None, Rock, Rock-Limestone, Morphology-Erosion); Hiking; Travel; Urban-Exploration (Historic-Sites)