Travel: Northern Finland in November. Ideas?

[sds-sds]

Hi,

I'm leaving Helsinki in November; I'm considering doing a bit of travel around this time. I probably have a couple of weeks to spare. I've never seen this part of the world in the colder months. I'd be tempted to head north, to Oulu and beyond.

So, I'm curious. How hospitable are these areas around November? When does the real heavy winter weather come in? How many hours of daylight would I expect to see at this time of year? How easy or difficult is travelling alone, or with one other, this far north?

I don't know what my plans are yet. Essentially, I just want to travel for a short while, and my idea of travel doesn't involve setting down anywhere for too long. Colder climates don't bother me, though I'm aware that places are less likely to be "active" during winter months.

So, I'm looking for ideas, I think. What might people recommend? What might people suggest I avoid? I'd be interested in doing a bit of a road trip from Oulu, up north and west over to Sweden, then heading back south. Of course, then car hire is an issue?

Less of a question here than a vague topic in which I'd like people to suggest things...

[Pursuivant]

well, the most popular time to go hiking in lapland is for the ruska which is about september... november might be snowy-sleety... varying a lot... so good gear is essential...

[sds-sds]

november might be snowy-sleety... varying a lot... so good gear is essential...

Sure, snowy-sleety. I'd try to cover gear once I'd figured where I was going and how I was getting there. But should the weather be enough to put me off? How cold does it get? Is it insane to hire a car during that weather, or should I stick to catching buses?

[Karhunkoski]

What exactly do you want to do? Outside activities? Or inside activities? Are you an outdoor type looking to walk/ski? Or are you interested in looking around Oulu/Rovaniemi/Kemi?

[sds-sds]

What exactly do you want to do? Outside activities? Or inside activities? Are you an outdoor type looking to walk/ski? Or are you interested in looking around Oulu/Rovaniemi/Kemi?

Walking, probably (unless temperatures are seriously dire). Skiing/snowboarding, if I'm in company.

I'd love to see the area in general, including the various towns, and the scenery.

[karen]

Skiing/snowboarding,

I must say that I love your optimism. How long have you been here?

[Karhunkoski]

What exactly do you want to do? Outside activities? Or inside activities? Are you an outdoor type looking to walk/ski? Or are you interested in looking around Oulu/Rovaniemi/Kemi?

Walking, probably (unless temperatures are seriously dire). Skiing/snowboarding, if I'm in company.

I'd love to see the area in general, including the various towns, and the scenery.

Have a look around here:

http://fmi.fi/weather/climate_6.html

here:

http://fmi.fi/weather/climate_7.html


To be honest November is IMO the worst time of year to visit the north, it's dark and quite possibly nowadays, wet, sleety and miserable. You have a few hours of dark grey in between nights, that can hardly be called "daylight". Most people venture out to work, before getting back to the comfort of home, there's not much of a buzz around. Oulu is ok, but I think Rovaniemi is a bit of a dump, concrete block buidlings (the Germans burnt the place to the ground and destroyed the pretty stuff, over 60 years ago), there really isn't much to see (unless supermarkets, pizzerias and the most northern macdonalds in the world turn you on?).

Seriously, think of other options

[sds-sds]

Have a look around here:

http://fmi.fi/weather/climate_6.html

here:

http://fmi.fi/weather/climate_7.html


To be honest November is IMO the worst time of year to visit the north, it's dark and quite possibly nowadays, wet, sleety and miserable. You have a few hours of dark grey in between nights, that can hardly be called "daylight". Most people venture out to work, before getting back to the comfort of home, there's not much of a buzz around. Oulu is ok, but I think Rovaniemi is a bit of a dump, concrete block buidlings (the Germans burnt the place to the ground and destroyed the pretty stuff, over 60 years ago), there really isn't much to see (unless supermarkets, pizzerias and the most northern macdonalds in the world turn you on?).

Okay, so amount of daylight and average temperature are around about what I'd have expected. My worry, which you've captured, is that places are just dead at that time of year.

I'd love to travel up north, and this is the only immediate chance I have of getting up there; the bonus being that November is early enough that I miss the seriously cold weather ... I just get very cold instead

Even something random like a snowmobile safari could be quite fun, if they run at that time of year?

[Upphew]

Okay, so amount of daylight and average temperature are around about what I'd have expected. My worry, which you've captured, is that places are just dead at that time of year.

I'd love to travel up north, and this is the only immediate chance I have of getting up there; the bonus being that November is early enough that I miss the seriously cold weather ... I just get very cold instead

Even something random like a snowmobile safari could be quite fun, if they run at that time of year?

Snowmobile safari needs snow, so it is hit or miss. Last winter's snow graphs: http://fmi.fi/saa/tilastot_165.html?Keywords=&lpnn=6802
And after looking at earlier years it seems that early November = no snow.

[sds-sds]

Last winter's snow graphs: http://fmi.fi/saa/tilastot_165.html?Keywords=&lpnn=6802
And after looking at earlier years it seems that early November = no snow.

Actually, wow. I'm surprised at how little snow there is in November. I mean, obviously I'd expect most around February/March, but I'd have expected more than close-to-none in November. Hrm.

[donald]

The first and only idea about travelling to Northern Finland (or Finland in general) in November is that it is probably the worst month to see anything exciting in Finland... If ever possible try to postpone your trip. I'm sorry for sounding so negative, but unless the winter comes exceptionally early, your trip would be a rather "challenging" project, to say the least...

[sds-sds]

Okay, okay, I'm getting the hint that Finland sucks in November!Perhaps I'll go for a different strategy, head south from Helsinki through Estonia, Latvia, etc.

I (finally) found my Lonely Planet guide for Scandinavian Europe, and it suggests places like: Rovaniemi (for the Santa Claus association, which I expect to be a fairly gaudy affair), Inari, the hotel Kakslauttanen (for the glass igloos, which would be a great idea if I'm travelling in company), right up and out of Finland and into Norway.

The idea of starting from here in Helsinki, then heading north before coming back down through Sweden and Norway appealed to me a lot. (As did catching a ferry to the Shetlands, one of my favourite places, but the ferries from Norway don't seem to run any more )

Back to the drawing board. I have plenty time to figure something out

[Pursuivant]

if you can afford it, go to Rovaniemi or more north above the treeline even for a long weekend around the early september when the ruska is there... well worth it.

november is an un-month... people who can afford it go to tenerife and drink the whole week - first three days to forget its november, and then four as they need to go back. I'd rather go to Nigeria and go sell rubber mats with soulfromhighplaces on the market than even think of november...

[sds-sds]

if you can afford it, go to Rovaniemi or more north above the treeline even for a long weekend around the early september when the ruska is there... well worth it.

Actually, that looks gorgeous. And I might be able to do late September... but is that too late? (I'd been trying to avoid taking more time off work, but if November's no use, then I'm willing to re-think!)

[Pursuivant]

see now it depends... and it depends on it depends. night temperatures... "Mark I" or "pierrot" methinks would know best when-ish as they're from those parts...