On a recent camping trip to Finland, we discovered a Valhalla for those who like to sleep under canvas. Not only does the country have the everyman’s right – which allows campers to set up camp almost anywhere – but there are also a huge number of facilities, from equipped camping areas to wilderness huts with saunas.
A sound made me stiffen in my sleeping bag, a rustling that set my senses on edge. Was that a wolf? A brown bear, a wolverine? A lynx perhaps? After all, we were wild-camping in one of the wildest wildernesses of Europe, the part of Lapland where fewer than one human lives per square kilometre. It was light outside, even though it was the dead of night. I unzipped the tent door and looked a white reindeer, majestically nibbling lichen, straight into the eyes.
Finland is chock-full of wild camping experiences like that. We pitched our tent next to a rippling river, jumped into ice-cold water and started a fire under the midnight sun. Finlands is a playground of forests, fells and hundreds of thousands of lakes. Endless trails wind through 41 national parks and dozens of other protected nature reserves. No wonder Finns embrace the outdoors – they love fishing, hunting and picking berries. The camping infrastructure in Finland reflects that love.
Camping seasons in Finland
Finland has four distinct seasons. Summer is by far the most popular with campers – June, July and August offer the greatest chance of warm weather. Because the sun never sets in Lapland during parts of June and July, the days are endless. This means you can hike until late at night. Sleeping under the midnight sun is a unique experience.
However, be prepared for all kinds of weather. During our stay, the weather oscillated between balmy and cool, between dry and wet. Bring rain clothes and something warm to wear in the evening. A warm sleeping bag is no luxury either – it can cool down quite a bit at night.
[Read our tips for camping in the rain.]
Everyman’s right
The Finnish everyman’s right (jokamiehenoikeus) allows you to pitch your tent for the night almost anywhere in Finland, including private land – provided you keep distance from houses and land that’s actively used, for example for agriculture. For example, we camped in a coniferous forest bang on the Arctic Circle. The everyman’s right applies to about 85 per cent of Finnish territory. Note that to preserve nature, national parks have different rules – more about this in a moment.
This immense freedom comes with responsibility. To enjoy the everyman’s right, you need to respect nature, people and their property. “The outdoor enthusiast’s golden rule requires a desire to preserve and protect the unspoiled beauty and wonder of nature for future generations to enjoy”, reads the government’s website. The everyman’s right also includes collecting berries and mushrooms, swimming and kayaking on lakes and rivers, and fishing with a simple rod. More information at www.nationalparks.fi/everymansright
Do you prefer a bit more luxury? Finland boasts plenty of regular campsites, often next to a lake or a river. You can pitch your tent for 15 or 20 euros and enjoy facilities such as a hot shower, a kitchen and – of course – a sauna.
Camping in national parks
In national parks and other protected reserves, you cannot usually pitch your tent just anywhere. To preserve nature from disturbance, the possibilities are limited to designated campsites. Luckily, there’s plenty of those. Government organisation Metsähallitus manages Finland’s 41 national parks and provides the necessary facilities.
Laavu (lavvu)
A shelter – usually closed on three sides, open on one and facing a fire pit. The laavus we encountered – in Urho Kekkonen National Park and near Inari – also had a compost toilet and a well-stocked woodshed. Usually, but not always, a laavu has a wooden floor. The construction protects you more or less from rain, but not from cold and mosquitoes. Provide a mat, a sufficiently warm sleeping bag, mosquito repellent and/or a net. Or do like us and pitch your tent next to a laavu – that’s allowed.
Kota
Aka Lapland hut, a laavu which is usually closed on all sides. You can make a fire in the middle, all around stand benches on which you can sleep. Again, you need to provide a sleeping bag and mat. Camping allowed.
Päivätupa
Literally: day hut. A log cabin, often in or around a national park, where you can rest, shelter or cook during a hiking or skiing trip. Furnished with a table, benches and enough hooks to dry coats and sweaters. Also equipped with a stove and kettle, a compost toilet and a shed with firewood. Some day huts, such as the one at Rautulampi in Urho Kekkonen National Park, could easily feature in an architecture magazine. As the name suggests, day huts are not intended for overnight stays – except in case of emergency. You can pitch a tent if the area is earmarked for camping.
Autiotupa
Aka wilderness cabin. Similar to a day hut, but even better equipped. For instance, many have a gas stove and the necessary pots and pans. There are also wooden bunk beds in which you can spend the night, again with your own mat and sleeping bags. Some huts even boast a sauna – those Finns! Note: some wilderness cabins are open, others are closed (to be reserved). The latter require a small payment – to be made in visitor centres – in exchange for the key.
In summer, wilderness huts can get crowded, especially the ones in popular nature areas in Lapland. We were lucky and had one to ourselves. If you have to share, it’s best to use ample mosquito repellent. A door is easily left open and, to quote a Finn we met at a wilderness hut, “there is always some idiot who heats the hut until it’s so hut that you have to sleep with the door open.” That’s why camping next to a wilderness hut is an interesting option: I sleep better in my tent than on a wooden board in a hut I share with others. Thanks to wilderness huts, winter trips are a viable option.
Useful websites
- Retkikartta
Metsähallitus’ website requires a bit of practising but contains a wealth of information. By clicking the right filters, an interactive map shows you immediately where to find hiking trails, huts and toilets. Works in English and is also available as an app.
Tips for camping in Finland
- If you’re planning your camping trip to Finland’s northernmost regions in the summer, there is no need to bring a headlamp. The sun never sets. Light sleepers should consider bringing a mask.
- Don’t set off into nature without a map of the area, on sale in Metsähallitus info centres and in some supermarkets. In vast and remote national parks in the north, such as Urho Kekkonen, phone coverage is limited. You might only receive a signal on top of fells.
- Camping facilities are usually near water. In Lapland, you can drink straight from rivers and even lakes. Elsewhere in Finland, it’s safer to use a water filter.
- Even if you plan to sleep in laavus and wilderness huts, you should bring a tent or an emergency bivvy bag. Some huts attract quite a crowd and sometimes fill up. According to an unwritten rule whoever arrives last or most tired gets the right to sleep inside. Hikers who arrive earlier have to make room.
- Also bring a gas stove, so that you can cook even during a fire ban. Keep in mind that Campingaz is less available in Finland than other brands, such as Tarmo or Jetboil. (We found a bottle in a Neste gas station).
- Camping with a tent is usually allowed around laavus and wilderness huts, but always verify at visitor centres or at www.nationalparks.fi.
Camping etiquette in Finland: respect for nature and tradition
In a search for the world’s most honest cities, journalists left wallets of money on streets, in parks and shopping malls in 18 cities around the world. Helsinki, the capital of Finland, came out on top: 11 of the 12 wallets left behind ended up back with their rightful owners. This experiment characterises the Finns, who are somewhat quiet and withdrawn, but also honest and dutiful. They extend that attitude into nature.
Finns realise that guarding the country’s natural beauty is the duty of every visitor. That is why you rarely find litter in nature, even around facilities such as huts, toilets or picnic benches. The same can’t be said about bivouac areas in Belgium. Solidarity is important, Finns pride themselves on leaving huts behind in a better condition than that they found them – for example by removing ashes from a burned-out fire, cutting kindling and replenishing the wood supply next to the stove. There are always cleaning supplies and some hikers leave behind food or items – things they no longer need, but which could be of use to others. In a wilderness hut, we found a hat, gloves and a can of soup. Never leave behind food that might attract pests, though.
General unwritten rules when camping in Finland
The respectful attitude of the Finns is contagious. These are some general rules that every camper in Finland – and beyond – should follow:
- Carry out what you carry in. Respect nature and leave no trace.
- Don’t disturb plants or animals. Treat nature with respect.
- Limit your stay. Camp only one night – two at most – at the same spot to limit your impact.
- Make fire only at designated spots and ask permission whenever you camp on private land. Never make fire when there is a ban.
- Respect the rules. In every hut, there’s a list that you should read and respect.
- Don’t clean dirty pots and plates in water sources, don’t pour dishwater in rivers or lakes.
- Respect your fellow campers. Be polite and respectful towards other hikers and campers. Finns are reserved, but ask about their hike and they’ll happily share their experiences.
This blog post first appeared in Dutch on Kampeertijd.