Helsinki – September to December

Possibility of spending 3 months working there. Quite like the idea. Never been to Finland.

Tell me stuff! (stuff that you know about Helsinki and nearby)

What do I need to know? What could I do at weekends? Biking? Cross-country skiing? Are the Finns an accommodating friendly sort of people? I only know one. He’s a very nice chap, though.

Take a bike – go to Nuuksio national park a lot, it’s rideable from the city, off-road if oyu start from the centre.

Do lots of sauna – if you are with friends hire a sauna cabin in the woods for an evening

It won’t be warm, probably, nor will it be snowing by December. Well it might snow a bit but it won’t stay and you won’t be able to ski, not down South. You could probably fly up north though. Flights won’t be expensive that early in the season.

It’s fab.

Finns are nice, they have a reputation for being taciturn but it’s only noticeable if you come from America I think.

Ace. Cheers mol!

Just been looking at pics of Nuuksio NP. Very nice indeed. That Route 2000 from Helsinki looks like a winner, too.

Lucky you, Finland is brilliant and Helsinki has loads going on.

You will catch the end of summer and have a proper autumn, it won’t get silly cold by the time you leave but you could have snow.

You can go and watch Jokerit who play in the KHL or IFK who play in SMLiga

There are usually a lot of acts touring which will play in Hartwell Arena or there are a lot of small clubs, live music is very big in Finland, loads of really good bands.

Loads of cycling and bike shops who will be able to hook you up.

People are generous funny and a bit quiet until you put beer in them, Sauna will become a way of life.

Have a great time

😀

Cheers pigface, sounds brilliant!

And nothing’s firm yet, just put my name in a hat. I don’t know whose hat it is and how many other names are in it.

That Route 2000 from Helsinki looks like a winner, too.

Yeah I never managed to do it all in one go, but did most of it.

Take a GPS though as it’s all very samey. Just ride flat out along undulating fire road and singletrack til you get tired, then go home. If it’s hot, stop for a dip in one of the lakes. Bring some sausages or fish to barbecue at one of the fire huts too.

ride flat out along undulating fire road and singletrack

Well that’s “What bike for Finland?” decided, then! Peregrine and a maybe a couple of different sets of tyres.

Gravel/hardpack tyres will be all you need. And possibly spikes 🙂

PS If you are on 26 I have some spikes you can have for a small fee!

I have spent limited time there, but did spend a very pleasant 4 days on my “minimoon” (sorry).

Great city, very cold (early November), definitely go for it (and tell us how you get on).

It was snowing on the 1st November fairly heavily on my visit, for what its worth.

can’t help but am not long back from a tour of Scandinavia,. Helsinki wasn’t on the original agenda but was added, sadly with not much time. Didn’t see much, loved what I did. I’d avoid those little fish some of the food stalls sell, they were vile, everything else was just grand. Also overnight ferry to Stockholm in small, comfortable cabin was 24Euro (return, not each way) on Viking Ferries. Stockholm also very nice.

Well. I’m going!

😀

Missing the wife already 😐 But.

😀

Finland is a great place. Changed a bit since the demise of the USSR (their over bearing neighbour) and taken it’s place in the EU, its been for the better mostly. People friendly and it will help if you like the Finlandia Symphony by Sibelius and also know who Pavo Nurmi is (that statue outside the old olympic stadium).

Going for a run across the frozen sea was fun first time, being passed by a car while on the sea ice interesting. Good food and beer. Turku(s?) is a good place and getting up above the artic circle is worth doing. Loads of running and cycle stuff in the summer, also in some place you would be considered a little weird if you don’t xc ski.

It would be good to learn to like real hot saunas. as a regular visitor at one time, it seemed to be the sport to try and poach (in his own sweat) the visiting Brit. Fun fun.

I loved it there.

PS Emmerdale dubbed into Finnish was amusing the first time I watched it.

PPS Important! do not say they are Scandinavian, the Swedish are not well liked (similar to England Scotland thing).

Check the comparative cost of living on Numbeo.

Helsinki is an incredible city, lucky you! I spent some time there last October for work and would love to go back. It’s not especially cold, temperature-wise, but the wind is very chilling! It can be fairly grim towards the end of the year when the days get shorter just because there’s so little daylight. I’ve known a few folks who’ve had trouble adapting to that but those little SAD lamps are easily available and help. There’s a Marks & Spencer now so Percy Pigs are easy to get your hands on; that’s all that matters really.

I didn’t notice any anti-Sweden sentiment that mt mentioned, but then I haven’t noticed a serious dislike between Scotland and England either so maybe his/her view is skewed.

The Sweden thing I didn’t see in the whole year I was there, they are like cousins that are very competitive with each other. Sweden Norway and Denmark can all understand each other but Finnish is a whole world of pain as far as languages go.

Good point made about Russia, in Karellia the older Finns hated the Russians, look up your history the Winter War and the Continuation war.

Have a great time

What’s the joke about people from Turku? I don’t get it when my Finnish friends talked about people from Turku. Friends are from Helsinki.

😛

Op, I’m living in Helsinki atm. Send me an email if you want some local advice 🙂

Honestly it is also season for wet slush and darkness but it seems to be no problem for most expats. The skiing season might start in November or in February depending on the year but fat bike season is at least 12months ong.

The riding is bit more varied than fireroads even with obvious lack of mountains – there is fair amount of technical riding in the rocky and rooty Central park starting about 1km from Central Railway Station.

Tervetuloa suomeen!

I didn’t find the darkness thing a problem at all, barely noticed it. You go to work in the darkness, and come home in it, just like you do here. The daylight at 11.30pm is a bit nuts, but full on hot afternoon sunshine at 10pm is much weirder. The real plus side though is that it’s rideable until say 8.30 for months and months, because the dusk lasts much longer. I reckon you’ll use lights far less.

I never found the darkness a problem either, it doesn’t really get dark because there is snow on the ground and that gives the most amazing light. Coolest thing was cycling home at 2 in the morning in July and it being light but to the north was a false horizon where it looked like daylight. That was a stop and stare for 5 minutes.

What was really a pain was in the early spring when snow was melting during the day and freezing at night riding a bike on the frozen ruts was really tricky.

Thanks for all the replies and the all the enthusiasm. Very encouraging!

I’ll be working in Salmisaari, possibly even with a window seat looking over the water to Lauttasaari. Or in the basement next to the bogs!

I know surprisingly little at the moment. I’m 99% sure that I’ll be working for the same company, bu that’s about it! I’m assuming I’m going over to do a similar thing that I do at the moment, but that’s not been confirmed…

No idea how much choice I’ll get in where I’ll be living, but I’ll have to insist on somewhere to put the bike!

I’ll be back on when I know enough to ask some more specific questions. Cheers Hans, I’ll be in touch!

For Swedish relations think enjoyable rivalry, for Russian relations think pragmatism required but wouldn’t trust them as far as they can throw em.

Cycling in full combat dress with a dummy rocket launcher strapped to your back is no time to try and steer out of a rut on a snowy road – face plant with secondary of impact of the rocket launcher hitting your head was not my finest hour.

The cold feels different to what you experience in UK, which might sound weird, but it can be drier so even though it is colder it doesn’t feel as cold. Still wrap up well!

Lauttasaari

I used to live there 🙂

I’m a frequent visitor for work too

Its a cool place, the people are great & super funny once you get to know them. Very amusing sense of humour

I’m guessing I’ll 100% definitely need spiked tyres if I’m riding in November/December?

On-one have some at a tenner at the mo. (I need 700c, cheers though mol)

Not 100%, no. If it freezes, which it might, there tend to be lots of seeps across the trails which result in large ice slicks – you’ll want spikes for those. Especially if it then snows 🙂

Cheers, mol. I might wait and see then.

I’ve got a call next week with the chap I’ll be working for to talk logistics.

I many not have a choice, but any areas which I could ask to live in, or ask not to live in? Think I’m keener on views, greenery than, say, living above a bar and being able to go out on the raj at the drop of a hat.

Having said that, I guess I don’t want to be stuck in retirement-ville either. and I guess the city’s small enough that you can get from one side to the other pretty quickly.

Cheers again!

Areas like Töölo, Arabia, Katajanokka, Kalasatama, Alppila, Maunula, Huopalahti, Munkkiniemi, Pohjois Häägä, Etelä Häägä and Lauttasaari are all quite nice. Some have coastal views, others have decent forests or parks close by. The rental prices are quite high, but these diminish if you move east (East Helsinki) or north (Vantaa) and don’t mind commuting. If it’s a short stay, i don’t suppose that the price difference really matters.

Most decent bars and restaurants are in the centre, but there’s often a couple of cafes and dive bars in most suburbs. I live in Munkkivuori which is pretty sleepy, but 30mins from the centre by bus and very easy access to good biking areas.

As for tyres, the terrain is mainly granite, assorted rocks, deep mud/swamp and loads of roots. It’s flat. The past two Autumns have been warm (i.e. above -5*C) and really rainy, without much snow or ice. Spike tyres are widely available here, so i wouldnt bother bringing any.

I’d recommend bringing decent waterproofs and lights for biking.

others have decent forests or parks close by

I used to ride out from Lauttasaari to Nuuksio, was about 10 miles or so. East Helsinki would be a bit of a trek.

Cheers guys. Work is paying for living expenses, so it’s more a case of how much they’re happy to stump up.

They might offer a car I can barter, I don’t know. How useful is having a car? Both for getting around the city and for trips away? I’ll be back in the UK for a few weekends.

I’m happy racking up the miles for trips away on the bike, and I’m guessing there’s going to be plenty within Helsinki itself to keep me occupied for a month or two of weekends? Annoyingly, Steve n’Seagulls – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4Ao-iNPPUc – are coming to London when I’ll be in Finland!

Is there a cycle path alongside the 51? Mainly over the bridge from Salmisaari – I can see the side roads following it further out.

How useful is having a car?

Not necessary for getting around the city, or for getting to the local riding, but given a whole new country to explore who wouldn’t need a car?

Is there a cycle path alongside the 51?

I don’t think there is on that bridge, but you can go along the other bridge through Ruoholahti instead. Used to ride that way to get into town.. happy days 🙂

I used to ride out from Lauttasaari to Nuuksio, was about 10 miles or so. East Helsinki would be a bit of a trek.

There’s good riding east of Helsinki. Point is, where ever you live, there’ll be something decent within a couple of km. Lauttasaari is an exception though, although there are a few cheeky trails here and there. There’s plenty of dedicated bike lanes in Helsinki, Espoo and Vantaa. It’s very easy to cycle over here.

Hello again,

Accommodation choices time! What do people think of this selection? Location as much as anything.

Trad scandi wooden place, Limingantie
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/2012751

Studio in Kallio
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/742710

bigger place, bit dated, Haaga ish
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/1916513

smaller, simple, Lautassari
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/1281446

I think I’ll move once during my 3 month stay, but I’m torn between starting in the thick of it (Kallio) and making the most of being in the city in the while it’s still light, or starting further out and making the most of the scenery.

good luck ned – from fellow Peregrine owner.
You’ll sure notice a difference from London isn’t it ? 🙂

Cheers Cal,

Yup, same latitude at Thurso! Looking forward to it.

And as it’s unhelpfully on the bottom of the previous page, here’s the latest:

Accommodation choices time! What do people think of this selection? Location as much as anything.

Trad scandi wooden place, Limingantie
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/2012751

Studio in Kallio
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/742710

bigger place, bit dated, Haaga ish
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/1916513

smaller, simple, Lautassari
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/1281446

I think I’ll move once during my 3 month stay, but I’m torn between starting in the thick of it (Kallio) and making the most of being in the city in the while it’s still light, or starting further out and making the most of the scenery.

I would be out on the Island if it was my choice, scenery is all the same 😆 trees, water, rocks, trees trees, water etc etc

Easy cycle commute to downtown. The amazing thing about Finland is that the light changes as the seasons do. I hope you see that.

Hello Ned,
I’ve had a look at what the links. The airbnb prices are pretty good! You’ve found some good places.

Trad scandi wooden place, Limingantie
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/2012751
— Quite far out of the centre. But, it is a nice area. The arts department of the biggest university (Aalto) is nearby in Arabia. There’s a nice bike shop closeby and it’s nearby the first settlement of Helsinki.

Studio in Kallio
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/742710
— This place looks really familiar. I swear I’ve been to a party at this address! If it’s what I remember, expect a superheated appartment with odd nooks and crannies. Noisy neighbours and perhaps no lift. But, it’s in the beating heart of Helsinki nightlife. Good transport links all night.

bigger place, bit dated, Haaga ish
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/1916513
I live near here. A friend lives even closer. Great access to the city centre with the train from Huoppalahti station. Otherwise quite sleepy but close to lots of good riding.

smaller, simple, Lautassari
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/1281446
Looks good but it’s in a fairly isolated part of Lauttasaari. The shops, bars, cafes and bus routes are generally found nearer the centre of the island

Hope that helps