MORE PLANETCAVER STORIES

Welcome to the Planetcaver blog, featuring stories from caves andunderground explorations around the world, from the point of view of a beginner caver.

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Nice basement
The book Finnish Caves (Suomen Luolat) lists several caves in Perniö. I had already been in the 'Hiidenkellari' (Devil's basement), but since I needed to drive through Perniö today on my visit to Tero's summer cottage, I wanted to visit more of the caves. I chose 'Antinmäen Hohteen kellari ja paja' (The basement and workshop at the Antinmäki shine).
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October 2020, Antinmäen Hohteen kellari ja paja, Perniö, Finland
Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Crack, Morphology-Boulders)

Underland
I got a tip from Johan at work about an interesting book, one that deals with underground wonders. The book is Underland by Robert MacFarlane. I don't really know yet what's inside, but there was a recommendation in New York Times, that can't be bad :-)
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September 2020, House Arkko, Kauniainen, Finland
Caving (None, Media)

Limpan's caves
An evening outing to a promised 30+ meter cave. Turns out there are three, with the biggest one 45 meters. Roof caves, so not so cave like, dark holes. But rock above your head nevertheless. Also, deer flies. Oh how I love deer flies in my hair.
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August 2020, Limpanin lippaluola 1, Siuntio, Finland; Limpanin lippaluola 2, Siuntio, Finland; Limpanin iso lippaluola, Siuntio, Finland
Caving (Rock, Basic, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Crack)

Hyypiänmäki massive roof cave
With the new cave map service that we've been building with Ralf, I was able to make more sensible searches for known caves. In the cave map I can select the length of cave, for instance, and look for the bigger ones (albeit all Finnish caves are small). It turned out that there's supposed to be a 50-meter roof cave in Hyypiänmäki, near Klaukkala.
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August 2020, Hyypiänmäen lippaluola, Nurmijärvi, Finland; Hyypiänmäen pieni lippaluolanen 1, Nurmijärvi, Finland; Hyypiänmäen pieni lippaluolanen 2, Nurmijärvi, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Basic)

3 times 3 roof caves
I recently visited three nearby places that had been listed as having large roof caves (by Finnish standards). And they did indeed deliver on that promise! In addition, I found that the three actually had three roof caves each. Nine cave visits on three trips :-)
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August 2020, Limpanin iso lippaluola, Siuntio, Finland; Siitoonmäen lippaluola, Nummi-Pusula, Finland; Siitoonmäen lippaluolan sivuluola 1, Nummi-Pusula, Finland; Siitoonmäen lippaluolan sivuluola 2, Nummi-Pusula, Finland; Hyypiänmäen lippaluola, Nurmijärvi, Finland
Caving (Rock, Basic, Rock-Granite, Surveying)

Roof caves on Isonniitunmäki
Jarmo went further on our search in Vihti, and found some small roof caves.
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August 2020, Lippaluolanen 1, Isonniitunmäki, Vihti, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Crack)

Inside the blown up central nazi navy command bunker. Alone.
Need some excitement? Maybe crawling inside a blown-up bunker in the middle of dark forest would help. Hope the Nazi command is no longer on site... and that the ammunition laying in the ground isn't dangerous.
Full story

August 2020, Lager Koralle, Wandlitz, Germany
Urban-Exploration (Bunkers, Military); Caving (Man-Made)

Hiidenkellari. Rare Karst in Finland.
Such beautiful pure calcite in the ceiling and floor. And cut so exact, as if by man... but it is the works of chemistry and water.
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August 2020, Hiidenkellari, Vihti, Finland; Kololuolanen 1, Isonniitunmäki, Vihti, Finland; Kololuolanen 2, Isonniitunmäki, Vihti, Finland; Hylätty kellari, Isonniitunmäki, Vihti, Finland
Caving (Rock, Basic, Rock-Limestone, Morphology-Karst); Caving (Rock, Basic, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Boulders); Urban-Exploration (Buildings, Ruins)

Siitoonmäen lippaluola -- Roof cave in Nummi-Pusula
I've been using the new Luolaseura map app and database to look for nearby caves that I have not been to. This is now much more convenient than it was before :-) You can easily look at, say, all caves bigger than some number of meters and look around you. So, I wanted to go see another 50 meter roof cave that was just 40 minutes drive away.
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August 2020, Siitoonmäen lippaluola, Nummi-Pusula, Finland; Siitoonmäen lippaluolan sivuluola 1, Nummi-Pusula, Finland; Siitoonmäen lippaluolan sivuluola 2, Nummi-Pusula, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Crack, Morphology-Boulders)

The Missing Hole
Searching for a cave listed in the Finnish book of caves as "unconfirmed". Came up with nothing.
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August 2020, Lähderannan kolo, Lähderanta, Espoo, Finland
Caving (None)

Myllyjärvi bouldering cliff and roof cave
On my way to swimming in Myllyjärvi, I noticed a bouldering cliff, with an overhang. Quite a spectacular roof cave, maybe 35 meters long and 4-5 meters deep.
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July 2020, Myllyjärven lippaluola, Nuuksio, Espoo, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Basic)

More cave searches, based merely on the name
Inspired by Ralf's observation of cave-like names in the countryside, I searched for more caves from the Finnish map databases, and came up with some more placed called "Luolamäki" or cave hill. This time near Nummi-Pusula, Lohja, and Vihti. Jarmo, Ralf, and me set out to explore... with no prior knowledge of any caves in this area reported anywhere. Not in the book of Finnish caves, not in Retkipaikka, nowhere.
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July 2020, Kyynärjärven Luolamäen lippaluolanen, Nummi-Pusula, Finland; Kyynärjärven Luolamäen pieni lippaluolanen, Nummi-Pusula, Finland; Kyynärjärven Luolamäen lohkareen alusluolanen, Nummi-Pusula, Finland; Huopinmäen Luolamäen lippaluolanen 1, Nummi-Pusula, Finland; Huopinmäen Luolamäen lippa 2, Nummi-Pusula, Finland; Huopinmäen Luolamäen lippaluolanen 3, Nummi-Pusula, Finland; Huopinmäen Luolamäen lippa 4, Nummi-Pusula, Finland; Huopinmäen Luolamäen kolonen, Nummi-Pusula, Finland
Caving (Rock, Basic, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Crack, Surveying); Caving (Rock, Basic, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Boulders, Surveying); Hiking

Tiny cave near Vuohilampi
While walking to Vuohilampi for a swim (and eating blueberries), I found a small cave in the woods.
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July 2020, Vuohilammen luolanen, Nuuksio, Espoo, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Crack, Basic)

Boulder on Rocks
My swim at the Träskbyträsket yielded an unexpected benefit: a boulder cave. A huge piece of rock standing on four other rocks, as if by design.
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July 2020, Träskbyträsketin lohkareluola, Långvik, Kirkkonummi, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Boulders)

The new, blue, Grottan
The new Grottan magazine came in mail. Grottan is the magazine for Sweden's Caver's Association, published I think four times a year.
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July 2020, House Arkko, Kauniainen, Finland
Caving (None, Media)

Rokokallio meet-up
So, as reported earlier, our caving association went to Rokokallio. Very nice to see people in the middle of the pandemic :-) and be in the nature. We ended up exploring most of the caves in the area. Here are some pictures of them.
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July 2020, Pääluola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Hiotun kiven luola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Päällysluola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Päänuotiopaikan luola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Syvä halkeamaluola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Lippaluola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Crack, Morphology-Boulders, Basic)

This is the 8th set of articles. The previous sets were set 1, set 2, set 3, set 4, set 5, set 6, and set 7. The next sets are set 9, set 10, set 11, set 12, set 13, set 14, set 15, set 16, set 17, set 18, set 19, set 20, set 21, and set 22.

The Planetcaver articles appeared originally in the Blogspot Planetskier series, at TGR posts, or at the Relaa website. See also the articles about skiing, urban exploration, climbing, cycling, flying, swimming, and saunas.