Jyväskylä: Devil's Cave, Laajavuori

What are the rocks whispering? Stories and memories of days gone by? How did the Devil's Cave (Pirunluola in Finnish) get its name?

I've never visited a Devil's Cave (believe me, this is not the only of its kind in Finland) so it's time to hunt it down. My sources tell me that it can be found somewhere in the vicinity of Haukkala Spring, at Laajavuori, so after reaching Kortepohja I keep on walking to Haukkalantie road which runs parallel to Laajavuorentie, only closer to lake Tuomiojärvi. However, as soon as I arrive at Haukkalantie road I leave it and turn left, take a narrow path to the forest and start looking.

There are quite a few tracks meandering in the moss-covered forest but if you are looking for a cave, you know you have to head for the rocks.

Soon I find myself right below the Spa Hotel Laajavuori and its huge windows. This looks like a promising area for cave-hunting - the rocks are steep enough. It seems to be my lucky day because in no time do I find the entrance to Devil's Cave!

The entrance to the cave is very narrow but once inside, I'm surprised. The cave is by no means huge but it is not tiny either: this Devil's Cave is a couple of meters long. You don't feel claustrophobic at all.

Rock paintings are my favourites, but I must admit I prefer the ancient ones dating to the Bronze Age to the graffiti-like paintings from the past few decades that are found here. This one could be a modern version of a typical old Finnish rock painting - an elk. But who the devil was the artist?

At the other end of the cave there are two narrow openings that let in sunlight. I have no desire to try to squeeze myself a little bit further along the right 'corridor' because I'm sure I would only get stuck or rip my jacket. This is pretty much as far as you can go. I am certain that quite a few visitors must have spent a longer time here, perhaps hiding, or taking shelter from the rain, or even sleeping (judgding by the the remains of a styrofoam sheet). Unfortunately I don't have a plastic bag with me, to take the trash with me.

So that is Devil's Cave, Laajavuori, Jyväskylä. I still don't have an explanation for the devilish name, but who cares. Devils or demons have been called by different names (for example piru, hiisi, hitto) in Finnish over time and especially rocky areas may have places named after the evil one. This Pirunluola cave isn't marked on the map and it isn't signposted either so you really have to know where to look for it; few locals know about it either. However, it is literally just a stone's throw from the Laajavuori Spa Hotel. Just don't throw a stone at a sleeping devil!

Jyväskylä: Snowmen in Kirkkopuisto

My evening walk takes me down from Harju to Kirkkopuisto (Church Park) and I start thinking what would be the best place for building snowmen. I expect to find them next to Kauppakatu street - the busiest side of the park - but no way; the snowmen have appeared right in front the City Hall, on the square next to Vapaudenkatu street.

The snowmen are part of the campaign against global warming. The melancholy looking snowman's plea is "If you save the winter you can save me too and I can make you smile year and year after".

The Big Ask campaign has been taking place in different cities in Finland and its main aim is to get the decision makers to make a climate law that would be strong enough to make a difference. There are about two dozen snowmen, each carrying their message that is directed at top politicians who are responsible for climate and environmental politics.

Let's hope that there will be a major change in environmental politics all over the world. "Winter in the year 2020???" I believe and hope there will still be a proper winter with snowmen in Finland in 2020 and for many more decades to come!

Jyväskylä: what if...Concert hall underwater?

My evening walk has taken me to Mattilanniemi campus by lake Jyväsjärvi where these strange lights pierce the frozen lake. What if... The long-planned concert hall had already been built in Jyväskylä. What if it was summer, not winter. What if the concert hall was underwater, not under ice - like it now seems to be? 

Kari Alonen is a local artist and sculptor who has created this work of art on the ice, using old skylights from the local health centre (that's why they have numbers on them). If I hadn't spotted a short newspaper article about this, I wouldn't have a clue of what it is about; it would be "just" a lighting installation.

Alonen has imagined what an underwater concert hall would look like in the winter, with the skylights popping out through the snow and ice.The concert hall has been planned in Jyväskylä for ages, but so far the project has always been postponed until later, due to lack of funding. Alonen jokingly proposed this as a cost-efficient alternative.

I recognize the metal wire ball as one of Alonen's previous works that has been on display here earlier as well. I start toying with the underwater concert hall idea but soon find that my feet are pretty firmly on the ground instead. How would you enter the underwater concert hall? How much water is there in this part of the lake? How big a concert hall would fit underwater right here?

The freshly fallen snow covers the skylights and they cast an eerie light on the ice. What if you could have a peek into the concert hall through the skylights through the windows when walking on the ice in February? Would it be possible to paddle over the concert hall with a kayak? Walk over it in knee-high water? Can't help thinking about Feet in the water (by Eva & Manu)! How clear is the lake water several meters deep in the lake - when looking through the windows of the concert hall, would you be able to watch the fish swim?

You can go on and on thinking what if... However, for now I'll look at this light installation as a work of art and not take it too deep.

Nyrölä nature trail in winter

Nyrölä is a small village about 20 kilometres northwest from Jyväskylä. It is best known for its Kallioplanetaario (Planetarium, open daily) but offers also a chance for a nice walk on the well-kept nature trail. On a winter's day  just the ride to Nyrölä is a joy: after leaving the town, the woods surrounding the roads are wearing their best winter robes. My only question is whether the Nyrölä nature trail is "open" in the winter as well. That is, have there been other walkers before me?

The whole circular trail is about 3 kilometres long but nobody seems to have walked the whole route recently; I can only see footprints in the direction of the Iso-Musta lake where the closest laavu shelter is. No problem! I've got snowshoes with me...

Whereas the snow may already have fallen on the ground in the city centre where it is somewhat warmer, there is plenty of the white stuff over here - and not just on the ground. I could easily make my walk shorter (and easier) by following the narrow road on which a snowmobile has made a track recently but when I see the snow-covered sign Luontopolku (nature trail) it is much more inviting. Snow, snow and more snow!

I enter the woods and start following the trail signs that mostly consist of yellow-topped wooden poles (originally haypoles) but there are also a couple of paint marks on the trees, probably made with reflective paint. Using that kind of paint is not a bad idea at all if you happen to be on the trail after dark.

If I wasn't wearing snowshoes my progress would be much slower! And if the trail wasn't so well marked it would be very easy not to know which way to go because you can't always tell which way the path, now totally covered with snow, is turning. The only other footprints I discover between these trees belong to small animals.

I can still remember what it looked like in here on my last visit to Nyrölä nature path; so different, so green. Behind these trees there is a small man-made pond which was dug in a place where there was a natural spring. A recent local newspaper article revealed that the name Nyrölä originates from the word nyry (nira) which means a small trail of water, according to the writer Ilmari Kosonen.

The trail leaves the forest and I am again surrounded by open space. I turn to look to my right. The snow and frost covered trees are simply stunning - like a graphic illustration, almost surreal in its beauty.

Locating the haypoles and a dash of yellow paint isn't always too easy... The nature sometimes plays tricks on you. I find a couple of them but then... Nothing. However, I know the trail is supposed to meet the narrow road right ahead and it takes only a minute or two to be back on track.

Somebody's been busy felling trees! There is a huge pile of firewood waiting to be collected by the side of the road. I continue walking uphill along the snowmobile trail and remember the gorgeous green moss below the fir trees on a certain October day more than a year ago.

I know most people enjoy the Finnish winter on skis but snowshoes are my favourite. Although the snowmobile has made walking here even easier, we go different ways from the top of the hill and I get to walk downhill on virgin snow, making my very own path. I just love it!

The dense spruce forest has an almost eerie atmosphere and again I feel I'm watching a graphic illustration.

Time for a break? This beautiful lean-to offers a chance to make a fire and sit under the shelter, no matter the weather. The last time I was here it was almost ready for use but not quite. This would be a great place for star-gazing on a clear night, with the open sky above and no street lights disturbing the view.

However, I decide to walk just a bit further. Within a short distance, on the other side of the bog, there is the Iso-Musta lake and the small island where there is another shelter. No need to use the tiny ferry to cross the lake now that the lake is frozen... Do I smell smoke?

Oh yes! The group of people that I just saw leaving the island had a fire going and the embers are still there, burning hot. It only takes a couple of puffs to get the fire going again. Time to sit down by the fire and have a cup of hot tea from a kuksa, a traditional cup made of wood, and some pulla (a bun). What a great day!

From Iso-Musta the circular trail continues back towards the parking lot, following first a path and then a wider trail. The remaining 1.2 kilometres offer more of beautiful winter scenery now that the felled area is covered with snow.

The young birch creates an arch above the trail, thanks to the weight of the snow. The poor tree will straighten her back after the snow has melted. The path is now pretty firm under my feet; so firm that I take off my snowshoes and walk the rest of the way carrying them in my hands. You don't always need to have clear blue skies for the day to be beautiful; black and white can be equally gorgeous.

Jyväskylä: Snow and Castle

The footpath by the lake at Kortesuo, Jyväskylä is easy to walk on - surprisingly, there's been a snow plough - but I turn my eyes towards the frozen lake Tuomiojärvi. There are some people skiing on the ice. For me, this means that it must be safe enough to be walking on the ice as well so I step down on the lake. The shadows that fall on the snow are long around noon; the days are still very short.

My boots don't sink too deep in the light powder. Often there is less snow on the frozen lakes than in the forests and fields. There is a light mist hanging over Löylyjoki-Kivelänranta area on the opposite shore. I wonder whether I should look for a trail made by people walking here before me or make my own track?

Actually, there's no choice. Of course I'll make my own track. It is so liberating to be sauntering on ice and go anywhere I want to go and not even get exhausted, thanks to there being so little snow. I turn towards Laajavuori where the mist is rising towards the sky like a cloud of smoke. Do I hear an announcement through a loudspeaker? There could be a skiing race going on. Perhaps the mist is artificial snow in the making, for the ski slopes.

I spot a couple of other walkers on the ice as well. It means that there will be more and more trails on the snow that was almost untrodden for days. Finally, I end up at Viitaniemi where the mid-day sun is glistening on the snowy trees.

The closer to the shore, the more there is snow. Above me the alders are dressed in their most beautiful, lacy winter outfits.

I start looking for a place where it would be easiest to climb to the footpath on the shore. When I see the frozen reeds I freeze myself, if only for a moment - to admire the fragile union of the reeds and the snow, so transparent in the sun.

I feel so elated when strolling through Viitaniemi park that I almost forget to look around me. Luckily, I slow down and turn my eyes towards Kasinonmäki hill which has a new, temporary building: a snow castle! The footsteps heading towards me are not only made by human feet; a hare has also paid a visit to it.

The builders of the snow castle seem to have checked exactly the right time to make their move: the snow has to have the right consistency and the weather has to be not too warm and not too cold, if you want to use blocks of snow like these people seem to have done. Snow engineering.

I enter the snow castle through the entrance at the back. There are small peeping holes to different directions that give a new outlook to Viitaniemi - framed with snow. I really hope this snow castle will stay intact as long as possible.

Farewell, restful Viitaniemi; I will head towards Jyväskylä city centre. To my pleasant surprise, it is also calm and almost sleepy there on this afternoon. The winter mist and the sun paint a somewhat eerie scene on the sky at the end of Harjukatu street. It is as if the solitary bus parked by the side of the street is waiting for passengers to a journey that would take you somewhere beyond the sun.

Snowy Xmas at Jyväskylä

I don't mind cold weather. It's usually only a matter of getting dressed for it - and then you can go and enjoy the beauty of snow that sometimes covers practically everything. On a day like this the ridge overlooking Jyväskylä, Harju, is like from a fairytale.

There are lots of narrow paths criss-crossing the slopes of Harju; not everyone wants to take the wide footpaths that are kept open all year round by the city. It is nice to make a track of your own. Well, well. Someone must have been snowboarding over there, and those are definitely the marks of a sled that has dashed down the hill.

The half moon is shining its freezing cold light, to make sure that the frosty trees above my head stay the way they are. 

There are strange colours on Harju Ridge; the unnatural shades of light paint the trees and the scenery to an even more eerie fairytale land. Nature shakes hands with the urban world: this is Jyväskylä, the City of Light.

When I arrive at the Nero Steps, or Harju Steps as they're often called locally, the view is breathtaking. The gorgeously lit tall trees make it an enchanting walk to the top of the ridge. I am so happy I didn't mind the temperature (something below -15°C) but kept on walking... 

However, there are not many of us walking the granite steps of Harju. This is a time of silent walks, together, or on your own.

I descend back to the city centre. Merry Xmas, Jyväskylä!

Jyväskylä: Xmas in the air at Toivola

Toivolan vanha piha or Toivola's Old Yard is a new attraction in Jyväskylä that only opened a while ago: lovingly restored old wooden houses that form a closed yard at the corner of Hannikaisenkatu and Cygnaeuksenkatu streets and that are again full of life. The yard has received its name from its former resident and owner, blacksmith Herman Toivola who had the main building built there in 1897. His smithy was built there in 1890. Two of the buildings are old craftsmen's houses from the 19th century that were first moved from their original locations in Cygnaeuksenkatu and Vaasankatu next to the Museum of Central Finland before being finally transferred to Toivola in 2010; they house museums.

Currently Toivola is full of Xmas spirit. Luckily, the snow arrived in Jyväskylä on the eve of Dec 1! I visit the yard for the second time this weekend, having sampled the goodies at the cellar café already on Saturday. There are Xmas gnomes wishing visitors welcome at the gate.

In addition to the usual array of Toivola's shops and workshops, there are a couple of stalls selling handicrafts, textiles, handmade jewellery, tinned lake fish, fruit juice made of berries, honey - you name it.

Naturally, there is a Christmas tree on the yard - and it is not overloaded with tons of colourful fairy lights but very simpy decorated, in true Finnish style.

I smell something adorable - salmon that is being smoked on open fire. Pretty fresh, isn't it! Lassi Ruuska from Kalmukoski rapid at Saarijärvi is busy at work smoking fish and selling other fish products.

Marko Poldsam's stall is for those with a sweet tooth: roasted almonds with honey, apples dipped in chocolate and decorated with nuts.

Toivola's current master, Margo Saxberg has laid his woollen mittens on top of his small barrel organ and is playing music, to the delight of children especially. You don't often see barrel organs these days.

The main building houses a couple of workshops and shops. Inside the old "maternity ward" (Synnytyslaitos) - the main building actually served as one for about 20 years in the early 20th century - you can meet Father Christmas, if you're lucky. He is no Santa dressed in Coca-Cola red but an old country Santa in more traditional colours.

You can find also smaller Xmas gnomes hiding around Toivola yard, both inside and outside. They have been carefully made by doll artists.

In the red storehouses there are also indoor stalls selling handmade chocolate, felt hads, jewellery, berry jam and woollen products.

For a more quiet Christmas moment, there is a handmade nativity scene, carefully built by Katariina Pentikäinen between the storehouses. No touching, please...

If you feel cold you can step inside the cosy cellar café, Kellarikahvila, a few steps down from the yard.

The café is crowded when I enter it - no change to yesterday. However, I find a seat easily and sit down on a bench covered with a handmade rug. The freshly baked cakes both smell and taste delicious. Later on, there will be a bigger café called Muisto at Toivola but it is still being built which is why this temporary café was opened for the Xmas season 2012.

 

It seems like Toivola yard has been warmly welcomed by Jyväskylä; the flow of visitors seems constant during the weekend. In December 2012, the outdoor stalls and café are open on weekends and during the last week before Xmas until Dec 21 and there are also other activities, besides which the regular shops at Toivola are open normally from Monday to Saturday. Merry Xmas, Toivola!