It was a very quiet night at the Devil’s Nest in Pirunpesäntie. Mind you when its very quiet it can be a bit disconcerting if your the nervous type. But we aren’t the nervous types luckily enough, so it was a good sleep. The sun is warming the Hymer well before we venture out of bed. They don’t unlock the gates until 10am according to the sign, so we decide (or at least Pam does) on a brisk walk before breakfast.
It’s a bright sunny morning in beautiful Pirunpesäntie. Cannot get over the red soil here, very similar to central Australia.
Walking down through the forest track. The exposed rocks are covered with a thin lichen, so dense the rock is hard to see. That orange patch is a giant mushroom by the way.
At 23 metres deep and 14 metres across, it’s a big hole. Looking at the steel ladder system to access the bottom of the Devil’s Nest, Pam is already excited !
Almost at the bottom, Pam is turning into a bit of a risk taker after all our travels.
They believe the cauldron or sink hole was created during the last ice age when this area was left arid and bare. The wind and rain then created this sink hole in a section of soft granite. Over the millennium since, it slowly filled with sand and gravel until it was excavated in 1981-2.
We have only travelled 10 kilometres from Pirunpesäntie when we spot this old Vampire Jet set up on display near a service station and restaurant that has been long closed.
Seems like a nice spot for a coffee so we make a short break out of it.
Our data-base indicates you can service your motorhome at this servo. I go in and ask the lady behind the counter she hands me a cover lifter and says it’s the cover with the white cross. Pam thought it was funny, hence the photo. In Finland, you do what you need to do.
An hour later we roll into Tampere. Finland’s second city. There are two overnight options, the first one is a little further out has fresh skid marks all over the hard stand appearing to being used by the local youth as a drag strip. The other on the lakes edge looks good, so we settle in.
The view from the Hymer back toward the city. Looks peaceful enough but there’s a big soccer game tonight so we hope for the best.
Guide book in hand we head off looking for adventure. The Rathaus or Town Hall in Tampere.
Tampere is set between two vast lakes, today those lake are joined by a canal. The public spaces we walk are beautifully kept and a treat to walk.
The causeway controlling the flow between the lakes.
Tampere owes its heritage to the industries than line the banks of the canal. These old factories and warehouses have been converted into museums and residential apartments.
Reflection and flowers 🌺.
The Toumiokirkko in Tampere. Completed in 1907, but closed for a ‘Private Function’ so we will have to come back tomorrow.
The garden of the Tuomiokirkko are special.
The bronze statues on this bridge are getting into the spirit of tonight’s game.
We wander back to the Hymer via the Lidl and batten down for a Saturday night in the big city…
We survived the night without too many disturbances. On our walk in the morning we found a Circus was only 200 metres up the lake. Luckily we didn’t know, as Pam has a bit of a thing for Clowns 🤡.
‘Pam sees the light’, I was instantly reminded of a scene from the Blue’s Brothers.
We continue on to the Tuomiokirkke, it was closed yesterday and we have made it part of our morning walk. We arrive just after it’s advertised opening time to find mass still underway. We slip inside and mix with the local parishioners and enjoy the hymes and blessing. They are serving coffee and cake outside, so the crowd clears quickly and we have the church to ourselves.
Inside the Tuomiokirkko, looking back at the organ.
The Alter and depiction of dead rising on judgement day (that’s my interpretation anyway).
Just across from the alter we find this interesting depiction, just to give you something to think about in bed tonight.
Travelled: 225 kilometres from Kokkola to Seinäjoki, Finland. Visited: Kokkola and Seinäjoki Stayed: Swim centre car-park, free. N62.78491, E22.82836 For some reason or […]
Travelled: 198 kilometres from Tampere to Helsinki in Finland. Visited: Helsinki, two hours public transport ticket €2.90 each Stayed: Helsinki free parking, […]
Travelled: 224 kilometres from Oulu to Kokkola in Finland. Visited: Driving the E8, Kalajoki and Hiekkasårkat Stayed: Kokkola centrum car-park, just a […]
Travelled: 69 kilometres from Seinäjoki to Pirunpesäntie, Finland. 2017 Visited: Seinäjoki, swim centre €6pp and the clock tower €1pp. Stayed: Pirunpesäntie car-park, free. N62.39898, […]
