1936 On the Continent

stage on the journey to the Imatra Rapids, Walamo Monastery, Koli (see below) and Terijoki. Interesting old castle and old town. One of the few Finnish towns with streets and buildings a few centuries old. Hotels:
Knut Posse
(modern),
Andrea
(modernised). Restaurant:
Espilä
, very pleasant, with open terraces and music.
    Imatra Rapids
, biggest rapids in Europe, now harnessed for power. Hotel:
Valtionhotelli
(owned by Government) beside the rapids.
    Walamo Monastery
, a Greek Orthodox monastery founded by Russian monks, beautifully situated on a group of islands in Lake Ladoga. Probably the only big Russian monastery now in existence, and worth seeing as a curiosityand for its beauty. Reached by steamer from the town of Sortavala. Modest hotel run by the brotherhood.
    Koli
, a group of rocky heights famous for the beauty of the forest and lake scenery and fine views. The tourist inn, kept by the Tourist Association, is situated just below the highest peak (1,060 feet above sea-level). It has always seemed to me that the views from Koli give the key to the special character of Finnish music and art. Reached from Vuonislahti railway station, north of Joensuu, or by bus from Joensuu.
    Punkaharju
, a beautiful narrow wooded ridge winding across a lake—a feature of Finnish scenery. Hotel run by the Tourist Association. An idyllic place.
    Savonlinna
, junction of several lake routes. Medieval castle. Hotels:
Y.W.C.A.
and
Seurahuone
.
    Kuopio
, a provincial capital. Magnificent views from the adjacent Puijo Hill; tourist inn on the hill.
On to Lapland
    All of these places, from Viipuri onward, can be taken in one round tour, returning southward by an alternative route from Savonlinna or Kuopio. The tour can also be continued northward via Kajaani to
Vaala
, the starting point for the descent of the Oulujoki Rapids. The rapids trip has now been arranged in such a way that the stillwaters are passed by train and the descent is thus restricted to the finest rapids. The boatmen, who are employed by the Tourist Association, are absolutely reliable and the trip can be made by the most timid person. The railway is an alternative.
    This stage of the tour ends at the seaport
Oulu
(Uleåborg), from where the traveller can return by train to the capital or Turku, or continue to Lapland, a unique travel experience for those with time. One proceeds by train via Kemi and Tornio to
Rovaniemi
, almost on the Polar Circle—not an alarming region in summer; indeed, even here one wears no more than one would in Scotland in the summer.
    A motor-bus brings us from Rovaniemi to
Ivalo
, after a run of about nine hours through a wild rugged country. Near Ivalo hardy prospectors still make a modest living scouring the river-beds for gold. The night is passed here at the tourist inn.
    The next morning we continue by motor-bus to
Kuivalahti
, from where a motor-boat brings us to
Kolttaköngäs
, a magnificent rapids set in wild fell country. Here again we spend the night at a tourist inn before returning to Kuivalahti and continuing thence to
Yläluostari
and later in the evening to
Liinahamari
, on the Arctic coast, where there is a new hotel.
A Bright Night!
    The charm of Lapland is hard to describe, but its fascination is such that many who go there want to return, and those who live there for some time miss it afterwards much as a sailor misses the sea. A lonely land inhabited only by a few thousand people, mostly Lapps (a distinct people from the Finns), whose sole wealth consists of their herds of reindeer. A land of ceaseless light in summer and darkness in winter, lit only by the stars and the weird Northern Lights. A land of high, often naked fells, enormous forests, opened up to the ordinary traveller for the first time by the Great Arctic Highway—the only automobile road in the world to the shores of the Arctic Ocean.
    From Liinahamari travellers can cross over into Norway and take steamer via the North Cape to Bergen and return south that way, or retrace their journey to Oulu and then return to Helsinki by another route to that by which they came north.
    Shorter tours that do not take one as far east as Viipuri can be made within the triangle Helsinki—Tampere—Turku (good scenery, especially on the stretch between Hämeenlinna and Tampere, and a good modern hotel,
Tammer
, at the latter town), or through
Lake Päijänne
, north of Lahti, as far as Jyväskylä and back.
    Hikers
are advised to consult the Tourist Association for