OK - here's what I know about the few areas we had the time and inclination to visit.
(Sorry: I can't tell you jack about Vaasa or Rovaneimi. Both were too far away for us to visit; which is a shame as Vaasa is clearly the place to go if actual climbing is what you are looking for - what I mean is, Vaasa has a high concentration of quality problems fairly close together. This seems to be atypical of Finnish rock. Finland also has very few crags - and I've been told that these are up to 50m in height, so, not much for the mountaineer.)
The picture I posted earlier is from a young (far from worked out) area known as Mikkeli or Mikkelli (?). It is an adventure boulderer's paradise. Hell - I wanted to 'get some in', as they say - I had no idea that in a two week trip I would do more gardening and cleaning than Hilda Ogdens' and Percy Throwers' love-child!
In mikkelli, sometimes (but rarely) most of the potential lines will require little more than a surface-scrub. Mostly, you'll need to be prepared to 'go to town' on it's ass. There are a fair number of established lines upto V11 or 8a+ (the Finns use the Font' system; I found this strange as there is very very little sandstone in Finland. The overwealming majority of boulders are granite - I think the V's would be more appropriate here).
Cast your mind back to that amusing little bouldering supplement to (I think it was)
Climber: Remember that ridiculous list of what a boulderer needs? Fancy-pants this and that? Well, it won't be adequate here.
1 - Forget the binoculars: mostly, you won't be able to see the boulders for the trees. You would be better off with some decent walking boots and the magnetic route-finding ability of a pigeon. The forests are denser than Dense: finding boulders appears to be more of a case of educated guessing ("In the woods, no-one can hear you scream:
Where the fuck is the rock!").
2 - Yes, do take a good selection of soft brushes. But first, visit a local hardware store, cast your eyes along the selection of wire brushes available. When you see the one that makes you say, in your finest Cockney, "
Fackin' 'ell! Wouldn't want one of them swimmin' up yer 'arris, wudja?" You'll have found your baby. Buy a few, you'll need them. There may be 10" thick lichen to remove and reveal the rock hiding beneath it.
3 - As I said earlier - the rock here is truly ancient, and since it's not unusual for the temperatures to drop below -40°C in winter, and upto 30-odd°C in summer, the rock can be somewhat
distressed. New router's will need at least one stout jemmy. I'd recommend a selection. There's often a beautiful problem crying out to be released from the crust. This is quite normal amongst the locals here. You won't need to be a total
Rock Terrorist, but some of the flakes here are just plain dangerous, and need to be removed. With care and good judgement.
4 - Some of the boulders I saw were fucking massive. Real manly hunky-chunks. Locals often stash a selection of nails at the boulders so then can fashion wooden ladders to help in the er,
business of exfoliation. And often as a way down from the boulder itself.
5 - Often, a saw may be needed. Not just to fashion ladders from the wood lying around, but also to remove trees that prevent access to the rock. most of the trees here are commercial, fast growing Spruce or Silver Birch. And they are ubiquitous. More common than the flies and biters that will bug the fuck out of you in summer. The Horse Fly is a genuine problem in summer. Man, do they hurt - and they don't say please!
6 - You'll need strong bug spray (see above).
7 - Oh yeah - and the patience of fucking Job. I've never worked so hard to prepare boulders ready to climb.
8 - Make friends with a local. You'll need that knowledge.
9 - And mind were you ash your rollies. These forests can be like tinder. I was surprised to learn that forest fires can actually spread UNDERGROUND. It hadn't rained for one month when I visited - she was
bone dry. And this is Logging Country - somebody owns and sells these trees. Careful now! (nb. In Finland, one requires a license to make fires in the woods - plus permission from the landowner.)
In Mikkeli (and other areas) it is crucial to mind where you step. The plant shown below is extremely rare. So rare that people are asked to report any findings to some governmental unit. Local climbers have taken it on themselves not to do that (so as not to jeapardise access). If you go here, don't fuck it up for the locals by being a dunce and crushing these beauties. Spruce and Birch are ten to the penny here, these flowers are not:
One of the prettier aretes that can be found here (I'm such a sucker for aretes):
One of the beefier hones that can be found here on a line that remains a project - and looks soooo much better in the flesh (the line, not the youth!)
This is a shot of my pal, the Bastard Strong Jussi Ramonen (The Beast From The East), on a chunk of extremely rare sandstone in an area (also in the south) known as Lahti.
The horrendous 2' tick marks were not ours!
R2 on the same bloc as above:
