TOP FIVE Birds to spot in Saimaa
WHOOPER SWAN The national bird of Finland, so named for their cygnet-wrangling trumpeting calls, which echo across the water.
BLACK-THROATED LOON A migratory species found around the lake in the summer months, loons have distinctive neck stripes and chequered black-and-white backs.
OSPREY These birds are relatively common here, by the elusive raptor’s standards, staging dive-bombing raids of the waters from their nests in the pines.
EURASIAN HOBBY This graceful, agile falcon loves to hunt over water, targeting dragonflies and smaller birds such as swallows. The hobby stands out for its red ‘trousers’.
WHITE-BACKED WOODPECKER Found among the forest’s decaying wood in search of larvae, this species is bouncing back after years of population decline.
3
B E ST FOR WI LD L I F E
LAKE SAIMAA, FINLAND
An estimated 80% of Finland is either forest or inland water, and Lake Saimaa offers an abundance of both. At 1,700sq miles, it’s considered the country’s biggest lake, though it’s hard to conceive of such a mosaic of basins, bays, channels and islands as a single entity. Living around, above and below this labyrinthine water- world is a dizzying array of wildlife, from otters to ospreys, white-tailed deer to white-backed woodpeckers, and wolves to wild boars. Elk are ubiquitous; excellent swimmers, they can be spotted churning through the waters, nostrils flaring, en route to some distant island. But there’s little doubting the main
attraction: the eponymous Saimaa ringed seal, which is as charismatic as it is endangered (only around 480 survive in the wild). Your best chance of a sighting is on an expert-led,
boat-based wildlife safari that prioritises the animals’ welfare and on which you can learn all about this unique boreal landscape. The nearby towns of Mikkeli and
Savonlinna both offer excellent bases and direct access via water to Saimaa. Most visitors, however, prefer to take a traditional Finnish approach to their stay and bed down in a lakeside cabin, blending sessions in the sauna with refreshing dips in water so clear it’s considered drinkable. Visit in summer and you’ll have a generous stretch of daylight hours in which to soak up your surrounds.
HOW TO DO IT: Responsible Travel offers a seven-night small-group trip exploring Lake Saimaa from £2,999 per person, including transfers from Helsinki and some meals. Flights excluded.
responsibletravel.com
IMAGES: ALAMY; GETTY
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124
