The Iron Curtain Trail

 Uukuniemi to Lappeenranta

Well I passed on another swim in the lake this morning tempting as it looked?

Immediately on leaving the campsite I came across this Tsasouna - a Russian Orthadox Chapel which looking at its site and build I assumed was old ... turns out it was actually built in 2009. 

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The two things I wantedj to do today were to visit the Simo Hayha Museum in Miettila and his grave in Ruokolahti.

I did both though the church in took some finding. Don't see why really,  it was very big and beautiful both inside and out.

I won't wear you down with details of Simo but if you are interested this is a good book.

I'm fascinated by the contribution he made to Finland's success in the Winter War and the fact that he lived to despite horrendous facial injuries from a banned exploding bullet used by the Russians

The graveyard at the church in Ruokolahti was used as the last resting place for a lot of the Finns killed in the Winter and  Continuation Wars and the  graves are as well tended as in our own Commonwealth Sites.

As with many churches in this part of the world the bell towers - magnificent buildings in their own right - are often seperate from the main church building.

I'd  been told I must visit the Sculpture Park near Parikkala

I did..... The Yorkshire Sculpture Park it is not. I found the work of Veijo Ronkkonen creepy .... partly I expect because a lot of the statues had real human teeth. No, not my thing.

At another church site I visited I saw again the graves of soldiers and civilians killed in the Winter War were maintained with care and respect. The church had obviously been destroyed ... the ruins were still there ... but the charring on and around the stones seemed to dark to have occurred 80 years ago.

On asking a local, as all the signs were  in Finnish I learned that the Church had been destroyed by arson on Christmas day last year... having survived the war I assume!

Iron Curtain Trail

 Ilomantsi to Uukeniemi via Mohka

A quick change day today ....one minute riding in boiling sun next raindrops the size of tadpoles rattling tank and visor!

Great breakfast though with Leena and her husband ... never did get his name. He chattered away constantly to me in Finnish and we had no idea of what each other  was talking about except when I indicated I wanted to park my bike on level concrete so I could check the oil he brought me an oil change pan so something must have clicked.

The farm had been in Leena's family since the 1750s and the stories she told me about the many - and in her mind recent  border conflicts were harrowing.

On Leenas recommendation went on slight detour to Mohka.... glad I did for the ride - saw this memorial and nachine gun emplacement and the barge  - but the destination disappointing...

The day was then spent riding alongside the border, marked by yellow posts and signs -  in some places there was farmland withing the exclusion zone but you were warned not to go onto it without a permit which presumably locals have.8

The verges with the wild lupins - have I mentioned them  - were beautiful.

Just past one border crossing still in operation ... but didn't go!

Faith was apparent in the region... many churches had been built  and rebuilt after the conflicts as some were destroyed and or their parishioners and congregations forced to flee as land was taken by or ceded to the Russians.  

The most isolated cabin I have so far.... miles from water  - other than the lake, which I did swim in - but at least I had my own toilet!

And finally ..... imagine being the idiot in this village .... twice blessed....

The Iron Curtain Trail

 Lieksa to Ilomantsi.

53 miles of unpaved roads today....18 admittedly through choice to get to Lake Virmajarvi and the Easternmost point of Finland but 31 down to sadistic cartographers telling downright lies!

Worth it though ... an amazing day.

Because  of the terrain the Red Army's routes into Finland in the Winter of 1939 were along existing roads... Raate Road visited on Friday ...today I rode the 12 Miles from Hattuvaara to the border. That road was again dotted with memorials and battle sites.

At the end though, on the shores of Lake Virmajarvi it was so peaceful.... as I've said above it's the Eastermost point of Finland, the EU, NATO  area and apparently by some definitions continental Europe!  The Russian/Finnish border is on the island in the middle of the lake,  marked by the posts.

In Huttuvaara itself there is a "Tsasouna" Orthadox Chapel built in 1790 which remarkably survived the wars!

There's also the Fighting House, origionally built as a veterans club ... similar to our British Legion Clubs I guess ... which is now a Museum and cafe.   Laten who runs the place was really helpful, telling me about sites to visits and roads to take and to avoid.

Apparently there are bears and moose in the local woods but I saw nowt. One bit of advice he gave though which apparently is included in their driving lessons is that whilst if a reindeer runs into your path make a judgement about which way to go to avoid it as they can jink either way ... but if a moose does the same then always drive behind it as they can't or won't back up! Not a lot of people know that. 

Lots more memorials ....

The Iron Curtain Trail

 Lentira to Lieska 

Was invited to Midsummer celebrations by host last night.... a bit of a let down. It seemed to involve setting fire to an old boat ... and hoping that doesn't set fire to a new boat!

Throwing it down for most of day today ... but as they say there are good days for motorcycling ... and there are very good days for motorcycling.... 

It was a national holiday here so most things closed... can't understand logic of that but there you go.

During one downpour I was pleased to find  a Kioski run by 8 year old Ole and his mum...  couldn't work out if Ole was cutting edge fashionista  or colour blind!

Spent some time in a local outdoor museum in Lieska ... interesting but once you've seen one log House....

The windmill was interesting.... seemed totally over engineered...

Was fascinated though to see the community grain store... farmers put grain in in the good years and could get grain back out in the poorer years... it had double skinned walls to stop oiks being able to drill through and help themselves  ... even in the good old days eh!

A lovely old Border Guard Hut.... apparently  the had them every 30 km along the border before electronic surveillance etc.