Karkhunkierros

The Karkhunkierros (Bear's Trail in English) is one of Finland's most popular hiking trails which stretches for 80km through the Oulanka National Park in Northern Finland.  The trail passes through pristine pine forest, along riverbanks and passing by a myriad of lakes giving the walker a taste of the vast northern wilderness.

The Oulanka National Park is home to wolves, bears, moose, elk, and lynx none of whom deigned to appear before the camera of a lone English hiker.  Even without the wildlife the trail reveals some beautiful landscapes and a tranquility not to be found near human habitation.

I walked the trail in August of this year, shortly before I was due to start work again and these photos are a record of that short trip.  Since then tranquility and wilderness are two concepts that are becoming a distant and fond memory and I hope these images convey at least a fraction of the beauty to be found in Finland's forests.

Holga plus Portra for those that care about such things