Travel magazine Ruka 2018

Travel magazine for Ruka and Kuusamo

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www.matkailulehtiruka.com

The magic of winter in Ruka and Kuusamo

2018

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Winter 2018

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The magic of winter in Ruka and Kuusamo

s winter arrives in Kuusamo and Ruka, it’s time to get ready for the holidays. Winter tourism in Ruka and Kuusamo represents the best for the whole of Finland. Along with the most popular skiing resort in Finland, the area offers possibilities for several winter activities.

The beautiful nature of Kuusamo calls to the independent traveller. Sign-posted routes and their services are very popular in the winter too.

Apart from downhill-skiing and snowboarding there are endless possibilities to enjoy different winter activities in Ruka and nearby. There are many event organizers who will plan a nice, conveniently relaxed

and wintery holiday for everyone.

The cosy pedestrian village in Ruka is the heart of winter sports and the centre of tourism. The services are easily accessible for visitors on foot.

There is a car park with a capacity for 320 vehicles under the pedestrian village. The heart of Ruka Village is a setting created by different restaurants and shops at street-level. The variety and quality of services in Ruka make it one of the most popular centres of tourism in Finland.

Not far from Ruka tourist centre is the centre of Kuusamo. In town you can find hotel accommodation as well as the Tropiikki spa nearby – ensuring some

warmth in the mid of the winter. Small specialized shops along with the big markets will meet the needs of the most demanding customer, and the surroundings of Kuusamo market place offer a nice environment for getting around town. Nature and winter activities are present even in the town centre. A network of cross country skiing tracks as well as snowmobile routes which extend all the way to into the city centre of Kuusamo. You can reach Kuusamo conveniently by SkiBuss from Ruka. SkiBus that runs around the fell also shuttles between Ruka and the city of Kuusamo.

Journeys on the routes indicated in the time-table are free in the Ruka area.

Experience nature's wonderland

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ack your backpack and enjoy the winter wonderland with its cold steamy river landscapes, hills full of snow crowned trees and the mesmerizing delight of the Northern Lights dancing.. Winter adventures can be easily experienced in the Oulanka or Riisitunturi National Parks. Oulanka National Park has several winter day trails to explore, where you can admire the magic of winter without special winter equipment. In the Riisitunturi National Park, skiing and snowshoeing are a great way to move around on the snow and the paths less traveled. Snowshoeing is an easy winter activity, which is also ideal for beginners.

When the daylight gradually ends and the sun begins to set, there is a magical blue moment, where the world turns to all shades of blue before falling in to darkness. This is a brilliant time for example to photography enthusiasts and visitors seeking for exceptional experiences

in nature. The blue moment, as the name implies, lasts only for a moment, so you will have to plan your trip carefully.

A perfect place for experiencing the blue moment lies in the heart of the Oulanka National Park, where the Kiutaköngäs rapid flows through the narrow dolomite passage into the Oulanka river and seizes to impress its visitors all year round. The 1 kilometer long beautiful riverside trail to the Kiutaköngäs rapid starts from the Oulanka Visitor Center parking lot.

The peak of the Riisitunturi fell is also one of the most impressive places to spectate the blue moment and visitors can experience being in the middle of nature’s most beautiful work of art. The peak is easily accessible in the winter and is also a great place to watch the Northern Lights.

In the old folklore tales, the northern lights were born when the fox ran through the night skies flipping its tail in a hurry. The tail flips produced thousands of sparks, which spun like a band into the air, forming a fairy tale light over the skies. Fell tops and peaks are the best places for watching the northern lights, so take a snow shoe trip to Riisitunturi National Park or go for Valtavaara, an other high fell, which lies to the east of Rukatunturi.

Oulanka Visitor Centre is closed 1.11.-18.2. For more information contact Oulanka Customer Service, tel. +358 206 39 6850 oulanka@metsa.fi and www. nationalparks.fi/oulanka and www.nationalparks. fi/riisitunturi. More information about all National Parks in the area can be found at www.nationalparks.fi

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Northern lights burning in the Nordic sky

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inland is one of the best places in the world to see the Northern lights. In the north, it typically gets very cold, but thanks to the Gulf Stream, the north of Finland is in a temperate weather zone, so the fires of the sky can be admired most of the year.

Northern lights are born when particles of solar wind collide with nitrogen and oxygen in the atmosphere of the Earth. Earth’s magnetic field absorbs the particles into the Polar Regions, and Northern Lights can be seen both in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere. In the North, the Latin name of the Northern lights is “Aurora Borealis,” and in the South, it is “Aurora Australis.”

The most typical color of the Northern lights is green, but the luckiest also see the red, blue and violet fires of the sky. Red and green Northern lights are born when particles of solar wind collide with oxygen. The blue and purple Northern lights, in turn, come from a collision with nitrogen.

The Northern red lights are usually over 180 km above ground, but when the solar wind is strong, they can be seen even at just 90 km. Purple Northern lights appear at less than 120 km high. Greens Northern lights flare at the highest altitude, at about 120-180 km.

Northern lights have different shapes. The most common form is a curvy belt with a arching light. Another com-

mon form is the arc fitting the shape of the Earth. Northern lights may also appear directly above the viewer in the form of lights radiating in different directions. And in order to have a choice, they can also appear as veils or splatters.

Northern lights may appear in the sky all year round and 24 hours a day. But they can be seen in the sky naturally only when the night is dark. In Lapland, one can see Northern lights from the end of August until late spring.

The best time to watch for the Northern lights is a magnetic midnight, which in Finland is half an hour before the clock midnight.

The best place to watch the Northern lights is far from the light pollution of the city and the traffic. The place should be as open as possible, especially towards the north, where the Northern lights are dancing. It’s a good idea to go out half an hour before watching the Northern lights so that the eyes can get used to the darkness.

Over the centuries, Northern lights have been associated with a vast number of beliefs. The word “Revontulet” (Fox’s fire) in the Finnish language comes from the old belief that the Northern lights are caused by a fox running in the fells that whisk sparks around with his tail.

Northern lights are believed to bring good luck.

A child born under them is extraordinarily lucky.

Stay comfortably in Ruka near all services

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Detailed accommodation and booking information on our website www.rukankaarna.fi/en +358 40 199 1111 info@rukankaarna.fi

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See our polar bear cub Sisu with its mother Venus and 50 other arctic animal species in the middle of snowy forest.

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There are 80 kilometers of tracks in the Center and one hundred kilometers of tracks in Ruka.

The track service personnel’s hopes are the same as skiers:

Fresh snow on a regular basis

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uusamo is an excellent place for skiing because there are plenty of choices in the network of tracks during your entire stay.

There are 80 kilometers of tracks around Kuusamo city centre and one hundred kilometers of tracks in Ruka area. In addition, in the nearby villages, there are ski trails maintained by the village associations.

A good skiing trip will be ensured, in addition to track kilometers, a sufficient amount of snow and proper care for the tracks. The responsibility for the former lies on the weatherman, but the responsibility for the overseer latter, in terms of the trails of the center, lies on Vilho Lohilahti with his men and in Ruka, it lies on Hannu Heikkala.

But what might be the favorite weather of the man in charge of running the tracks?

– The same as that of the skiers, says Lohilahti.

– There should be some regular snowfall since the tracks that that might get frozen by the mild weather cannot be improved in any other way than with new snow.

New snow also improves the landscape: – Because it is the most beautiful sight even if the snow does not go dark.

Heikkala of the same mind: – Snow is required for a right track, and new snow layers will strengthen the bottom.

In Kuusamo, during an average winter, we don’t suffer from the lack of snow. Usually there are about eighty centimeters of it.

In Kuusamo, one does not need to go skiing based on guesswork, because at www. kuusamo.fi/hiihtoreitit you can go to the ski track service from which you can check the condition of the tracks in real time.

The tracks with their lengths have been listed alphabetically, and when clicking on the track name, one can find the track on the map. The map also provides information about the difficulty level of the track, the lighting and the style of skiing.

And, of course, the most important thing, that is, when was the last time the track was maintained.

Before the snowfalls occurring during the day at the beginning of the week, many of the maintaining times began at 5 or 6 AM: – I usually go out in the morning between four and five, admits Heikkala.

– I have to leave early as the track machine crawls only about ten kilometers an hour, adds Lohilahti.

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In front of the sauna, the bathers are awaited by jetted tubs, from where you can admire Konttainen and Rukatunturi raising on the other side of the lake.

Kiekerönmaa is a royal wilderness destination The silence of the wilderness, the beach scenery of Lake Kitkajärvi, the Best Sauna in the North, and a heart-warming dinner according to the principle “only the best is good enough” ensure a holiday that will never be forgotten.

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iekerönmaa reindeer herd on Kitkajoki beach is probably one of Kuusamo’s most beautiful wilderness destinations. In Kiekerönmaa, the luxury and the wilderness live side by side in harmony.

People travel from all around the world to visit the place. The Earl of Wessex, Prince Edward enjoyed dinner with his wife Countess Sophie Rhys-Jones in Kiekerönmaa two years ago.

– The reindeer of Keikerönmaa, Sperspirantti-Antti and Usko-Eeveretti Luttinen were welcoming the royal guests to Kitkajärvi beach, says entrepreneur Hans Heiman.

Kiekerönmaa is known not only for its magnificent surroundings but also for its excellent sauna.

– My dream came true when I was able to express myself in building a sauna.

I wanted true quality, not a cheap gimmick. The Best Sauna of the North is modern, but at the same time, it respects the region’s traditional building culture. It is also the largest reservable sauna in the region.

The roof of the luminous sauna is a birch panel, and the boards are aspen. The walls are made of logs chopped with a carving ax. The bathroom is equipped with the latest faucet models, and the stone benches in the fireplace room and the terrace are also heated in the winter.

– There is a wide open

The heart of the sauna is the heater. The sauna of Kiekerönmaa is heated by a unique soapstone heater that weighs almost 3,000 kg. ramada between the sauna and the dressing rooms, with a fireplace in the middle open in four directions. The ambiance of the sauna facilities is also created with remote control and built-in sound and lighting equipment.

As the heart of the sauna glows Tulikivi’s unique representative heater, decorated with the illuminated works of art of Chris White, a ceramist from Kuusamo.

And in front of the sauna, the bathers are awaited by Pro Patio jetted tubs, from where you can fells Konttainen and Rukatunturi raising on the other side of the lake.

In addition to the Best Sauna of North, a genuine old smoke sauna is erected in this season. The traditional sauna experience can now be complemented by the fragrant, caressing steam in the smoke sauna.

In the luxury resort, one also eats well. Hans Heiman with his partners, Stefan’s Steakhouse and Matti Hurttia’s EatRuka - Chef Hurttia Catering, offers the guest’s dinner that does not lack anything.

– We have the principle that only the best is good enough!

In Kiekerönmaa, you combine a dinner and a sauna in the magnificent surroundings into a great adventure. Reindeer and husky rides in the surrounding wilderness are arranged on request.

– Tour operators and customers are welcome to visit one of Kuusamo’s most spectacular locations! www.rukaland.fi

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The Day as a Finn familiarizes tourists with Finnish life Pohjolan Pirtti is located in the village of Vuotunki where people can enjoy freshly baked cinnamon rolls, chat with the sauna elf, and pick berries.

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he “Day as a Finn” program of Pohjolan Pirtti, located in Vuotunki Village, familiarizes customers with the Finnish way of life.

Vuotunki is a beautiful place to explore Finnish life and traditions, as it is Kuusamo’s oldest village inhabited by settlers. It was also spared in the Second World War from destruction, which is rare in Lapland.

The first inhabitants arrived at the Pohjola farm as early as in 1686. The current host of the farm, Matti Pohjola, already represents the 11th generation in the family. The house has been in the same location since 1891.

“The Day as a Finn” program of Pohjolan Pirtti can be found in Ruka Week Program.

On Wednesday mornings, the program starts in the hut where hot drinks and stories about the life in Kuusamo be-

fore the arrival of Finns are enjoyed. Then, guests will hear about the arrival of Finns in the late 17th century and the history of Pohjola’s farm.

After the storytelling session guests visit a cabin were the genuine Kuusamo barley bread, Finnish cinnamon buns and butter-eyed buns are baked.

Bread and buns are enjoyed at the lunch after baking.

On Tuesday night, the weekly program “Evening in the countryside” provides the opportunity to become acquainted with the three saunas of Pohjolan Pirtti. The sauna elf tells guests about Finnish sauna traditions and sauna customs and teaches customers how to use the birch and juniper whisks.

The saunas of Pohjolan Pirt are built in the former barn of the mother of the current master of the farm, from which the cows left in the 80’s. The cows didn’t know saunas would be built

there, otherwise they would have stayed. There are a woodburning log sauna and two electric saunas, one of which also has a steam function. There is also an old-fashioned bathing tub in the yard.

After the sauna, a country dinner is enjoyed in the cabin, which in Pohjolan Pirtti is traditionally prepared of deer meat.

The Day as a Finn programs can be customized according to customer’s wishes. It can be combined for example with snowshoeing, ice fishing or kicksledding. In the summertime, you can make the sauna whisks by yourself, and in autumn, seasonal berries are picked from the forest and jam for taking home is made from them.

Also, individual tourists are welcome to the “Day as a Finn” program. Groups can also book a program at other than weekly program times. www.pohjolanpirtti.fi

1-year-old polar bear cub Sisu with his mother Venus.

Winter in the Ranua Wildlife Park The twilight of the early winter knocks on the window of the animal house already in the afternoon. In the blue dusk, a soft snow is falling that absorbs the voices of the traveler.

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he world of Arctic and Nordic animals, the Ranua Wildlife Park, is in its own element with snow covering the ground and the frost pinching the cheeks. Furry coats and thick feather covers protect the park’s residents. Some of the smallest dwellers of the Wildlife Park, the weasel and the ermine even change their color to snow white for the winter.

and digging of snow caves. Every now and then, he takes a dip in the ice-cold water of the ice hole. Hard frosts do not manage to force the hardy beast adapted to the Arctic climate stay indoors. Even the brown bear of Finland would love to walk into the woods for a dawdle in his thick fur, but the plants vital to them are underneath the snow drifts, so they spend their hibernating.

The always white polar bears enjoy thoroughly a sip of ice and snow that our winter offers to them. A year-old polar bear cub Sisu knows that this time is the best time of the year! It’s favorite activities are downhill sliding

Raccoon dogs snooze in their nest together in a bundle. From the brown and grey fur pile, one can detect the shapes of the three companions. With a temperate weather, the raccoon dog trio waddles along the trails

and stomps in the snow to fetch the snacks left by the animal attendant. Otherwise, the winter is spent in a light winter slumber. Arctic foxes, on the other hand, are very active in the winter. Their warmest winter coat among all the mammals prevents frostbites, and being snowwhite also works as camouflage.

The last summer’s forest reindeer calves are now experiencing their first winter. A coat made of coarse hair isolates the cold, and broad hooves work like snowshoes, helping a deer traipsing in a thick snowdrift. Doe calves, on the other hand, have very long legs, which makes it easy to wander in the snow.

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The otter takes a dip in the dive under the ice, rises for a second to the ice from the hole and dries its coat by rolling in the snow. The beaver always seems to be just sleeping, but in the mornings you can see it’s twilight activities; a piece of the trunk of an aspen tree has been taken and has passed through the water tank to the warmth of the nest where it is peeled off.

The snowfall has stopped.

The musk ox has covered itself with a soft snow cover. It’s thick and long coat keeps the heat from escaping, so the snow on

it’s back does not melt. The last dwellers of the magical wintery wildlife park round – reindeer – shake the snow off and come closer with the hope of getting a dose of lichen. The silent clicks of their feet are left behind by the traveler as he continues his journey. english.ranuazoo.com

From cold to warm!

Holiday Club Kuusamon Tropiikki has been transformed through renovations. All holidaymakers are welcome to enjoy the warmth of the spa with the whole family. There is also plenty to do at the Angry Birds Activity Park. After a great day, you can enjoy a delicious meal at O’Learys family restaurant.

Book now holidayclubresorts.com/en/ kuusamontropiikki

Holiday Club Kuusamon Tropiikki +358 (0)300 870 910 Kylpyläntie 5 FI-93600 Kuusamo

Angry Birds™ © 2009 - 2017 Rovio Entertainment Ltd.

Self-baked breads and cakes are enjoyed fresh at lunch.

Call rates: Landline: €0.0828/call + €0.07/min.Mobile: €0.0828/call + €0.17/min

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Maintenance tasks are also part of the Ski patrol’s day. “We check every morning that the safety features of the slopes and other safety arrangements are in order”, says Teemu Torvinen.

Patience is always the trump!

Ski patrolmen ski and ride around the Ruka slopes to help people and provide advice.

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he three Ski patrols at the Ruka Training Center Teemu Torvinen, Jari Kurtti and Sami Räisänen stand out on the slopes in their red coats with a sign of Ski Patrol. The permanent group is assisted by about a couple of dozens of voluntary ski patrol members which can be recognized by the red vest with a yellow cross.

– One can always grab us by the sleeve if you need help or advice because we are on the slopes to help the skiers with all the hurdles, says Teemu Torvinen.

WE WARMLY WELCOME YOU TO OUR FAMILY´S COUNTRYSIDE HOME! Experience local lifestyle and traditional activities in Vuotunki one of the oldest Finnish villages in this region.

You may spend your Day as a Finn baking traditional flat bread and sweet buns and enjoying a home cooked lunch alongside with the freshly baked goods.

When our forefathers settled to Vuotunki over 300 years ago, the first building they constructed was a sauna.

On Tuesday evenings you have a possibility to join us on a country side evening including introduction to Finnish sauna culture, topped off with a delicious country side dinner.

Both programs can also be arranged privately on other days of the week.

FINNISH COUNTRY SIDE EVENING Tuesday evenings €125/person

DAY AS A FINN Wednesday mornings €80/person Please contact us for timetables and availability!

The Pohjola Family

info@pohjolanpirtti.fi - +358 40 509 8085

One of the most essential tasks of the Ski patrol is a postaccident first aid. In the event of unpleasant occurrences, one of the victim’s friends or a person noticing the accident usually reports the accident to the ski lift station where the radio connection is made to Ski patrol.

– The person in need of help or somebody in their vicinity should notify of their location, for example by lifting the skis up making a cross with them or waving their arms. When 8,000 people a day go to the slopes during the high season weeks, one with sprained ankle is not easy to tell apart from rest of the people who have stopped on the slopes.

Torvinen’s tip tells us that luckily, accidents on the slopes are seldom serious.

“Every year about three hundred casualties are reported to us, most of which are about the ankles, wrists or knees,” says Tor-

vinen.

The Ruka slopes are very safe if to relate the number of accidents to the annual 400,000 days of downhill skiing.

A reason to contact the Ski patrol does not always have to be an injury. Teemu, Jari, and Sami help every day some dozen persons down the slope when they’ve gotten on a wrong ski lift by mistake.

– If in Donald the Duck, when someone gets stuck high in the tree, the solution is usually cutting the tree down, but in real life, this is not the best way to operate. That is, we will definitely help people to get down safely.

Ski patrol does not play down people’s request for help, but treat every person as a real emergency.

– We are on the slope to help and instruct, and there are no things so small that we cannot help. If necessary, we just hold you by the hand if it helps.

The introduction of carving skis a few years ago made the speeds on the slopes to increase on the slopes; the Ski patrol does not consider the equipment as a cause for accidents.

– The reason can be found on the skis and not from the skis.

Accidents naturally happen everywhere and cannot be avoided altogether, but with one’s own actions they can be greatly reduced.

The equipment is still relevant if they are wrong or unsuitable. If you ski seldom and do not want to buy new equip-

ment for occasional use, you may nowadays rent new and well-kept equipment that are safe.

– It is not worth to dig out old skis and two sizes too big shoes.

Pair of too big running shoes may give you blisters, to emerge in the heels, but too big ski boots result in a lot more significant damage.

If a long time has passed since the previous time you went skiing, you should go to the ski school’s preparatory course to brush up on your skills again.

The use of the helmet is still not mandatory on the slopes, but fortunately, those skiing with no helmet are starting to be a minority. Torvinen has actually transported a man who had hurt his head after falling without a helmet.

– When a person asks about twenty times in two kilometers what has happened to him and where we are taking him, one will hope that the helmet would become even more common than it is now. Luckily the man only had a concussion. But after the accident, he began to use the helmet!

In the event of a significant accident, we switch to the emergency code, and Ski patrol operates under the rescue service.

For Torvinen, the work of the rescue service is familiar from the volunteer fire department, where he was involved since he was a young boy.

– Helping is for me a full day job, both work and hobby!

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With snowmobiles, Ski patrols can quickly help those in need for help on the large slope areas.

Ski patrol’s checklist for skiers on slopes: • Get to know the slopes before you go skiing.

• Choose a suitable slope for your skill level.

• Familiarize yourself with the slope rules and follow them.

• Adjust your pace according to your skills.

• Patience is always the trump!

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Souvenirs from Kuusamo Warm outfits, creative designs, mouth-watering delicacies and wonderful fragrances. Shops in the center of Kuusamo have excellent packages for Santa’s bag.

Pertti Talala’s gift tip for the lovers of the Nordic world is a genuine birch burl guksi hand-made in Kuusamo.

Annukka Nevala’s Christmas gift proposal is a design feather lamps that fit for all rooms at home and in a cottage.

From Pentik you can choose for example a black-and-white Suomi100 plate or a fun ball of yarn candle for a Christmas present.

Pentik’s factory outlet Kuusamo has a fancy ball of yarn candle for those loving atmospheric evenings.

– Ball of yarn candles like our other candles manufactured in Posio, are handmade, says shop manager Mervi Tornberg-Karjalainen.

The ball of yarn candle is made in red, white and gray.

Of course, at Pentik’s gift table, one can also find ceramics,

for example, a stylish black-andwhite Suomi100 plate.

Established in 1971, Pentik’s factory and its first factory outlet are still located in the Posio, a neighboring municipality of Kuusamo.

You can buy the ball of yarn candle for 15 euros and the Suomi100 dish for 95 euros.

Huoparintie 1 www.pentik.com

In the interior decoration and gift shop, Suvanto which opened last autumn in the armpit of Kuusamon Uistin factory shop, Vita Copenhagen’s feather lamp can be discovered as a perfect gift for those loving beautiful objects.

Danish design lamps can be found in different sizes for a desk, floor or ceiling, and the lamp fits well to any room.

– In our shop, lamps are against the pine wall and in the pictures I’ve seen them even above the dining table, says store manager Annukka Nevala.

In Suvanto, one can also find a lot of other furnishing accessories, and for women Bypias brand flax clothes, jeans, knitwear and other products.

On the lure side, the number one tip of this year is the fully silver Suomi100-lure Räsänen, which has been manufactured in 2017 numbered pieces.

Vita Copenhagen’s small feather lamp costs 98 euros, and for Suomi100 lure, you will have to pay 99 euros.

Professori Räsäsentie 1–2 kuusamonuistin.fi

When you get a gift or a Christmas present from Kuusamon Tärppi outdoor shop it will never lose it’s value.

– A Genuine guksi hand carved from birch burl, says the salesman Pertti Talala.

– There is also a hand-burned image on the side of the guksi.

Our guksis made in Kuusamo are unique products that cannot be found elsewhere. It is a gift for all ages.

Kuusamon Tärppi Outdoor Shop is a huntsman’s specialty shop where tools for hiking, fishing and hunting can be found.

The product range extends from lures to outdoor textiles and crafts to hunting electronics.

The price of a handmade guksi from Kuusamo is 85 euros.

Huoparintie 1 www.kuusamontarppi.fi

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Marja Sova recommends fragrant and refreshing Trip to Sauna package for the Santa’s bag. The merry elves smiling next to Marja are handcrafted by Raija Nevala or Tonttu-Raija (Raija the Elf) from Kuusamo, and they are exclusively sold in Lankapuu.

The gift idea of ​​ Marjan Lankapuu is a Trip to Sauna -package. The package made up of mostly local natural materials has a tar heart, which brings a scent to the steam, and a small can of tar, from which tar can be

added to the heart.

– The package also contains birch leaves which, when steaming them in hot water, create a pleasant summer scent in the sauna, says the shopkeeper Marja Sova.

– The birch leaves can also be used for making a foot bath, and in addition, the Trip to Sauna package contains a refreshing Himalayan salt rock for the foot bath.

Marjan Lankapuu, which was founded a year ago in July, has lots of other lovely gift items available, but the primary products of the shop are various handicraft yarns, paper ropes, and carpet rags. The shop also contains a small cafe Lankakahvila where you can enjoy a cup of coffee or tea and selfbaked buns, while at the same time getting ideas for crafts. At Christmas time, you can enjoy hot wine and gingerbread in the cafe.

Kitkantie 9 +358 400 424 206

Kaisa Valkama proposes from Bjarmia for a Christmas presents the house’s own goblets, and the novelty mulled wine belonging to the wildfood product family launched last autumn.

Last autumn, Bjarmia launched a new family of wildfood products, with fresh delicacies made from local ingredients and not containing any additives. A perfect Christmas gift tip is the novelty of the series, that is, the lingonberry spruce beer mulled wine. Of course, the mulled wine must be enjoyed from goblets that have been drilled in the Bjarmia’s own ceramics workshop located right by the shop.

– For hot drinks, the goblets are equipped with a felt holder

attached with a reindeer bone button, which can be removed, says entrepreneur Kaisa Valkama.

The holder is black, red and gray. The goblet is a dishwasher and micro-resistant.

– Our second gift recommendation is a delicacy basket compiled from the wild food product family.

The goblets costs 23 euros a piece, and a delicious novelty mulled wine costs 9 euros.

Vienantie 1 www.bjarmia.fi

The Christmas red poncho contains merino wool, so it’s wonderfully warm.

Women’s clothing store Modestilo has women’s clothes, bags, and jewelry for everyday life and for celebration. Virpi Alaräisänen and Pirjo Kivelä propose for the woman folks of the family, for example, a red poncho with a little bit of a sparkle in addition to the warm merino wool. Poncho is also available in off-white, gray and black.

– A lovely Christmas gift is also a red, gray or dark blue plush leisurewear containing pants and a jacket, or a warm and soft one size slippers suggests Virpi.

– You may want to check out Christmas offers on our Facebook page. Our site is open, so you can access it, even if you are not on Facebook.

Poncho will be packed in a gift box for € 38.90, the leisurewear for € 59.95 and the slippers with non-slip soles for € 8.50.

Kitkantie 18 www.modestilo.net

The Riipisen selection of treats is a dream gift for the gourmet.

From Riipisen Riista- ja Matkamuistomyymälä you can pick up the hunting, fishing and berry products that have been voted to be Finland’s best.

In the Riipisen shops, or in the company’s online store at www. riipisen.fi, one can choose their own selection of a variety of products, or a pre-packaged set.

A selection of Riipisen specialties is excellent, especially for a person who already has everything, or for those for whom it is otherwise difficult to find a gift.

Järvenpääntie 1 Rukankyläntie 8 www.riipisen.fi

RICHER TASTE

Open everyday 11-23 www.pizzeriaruka.fi www.facebook.com/pizzeriaruka