Our overnight stop on a car park on a minor road next to a lake worked very well. We had a peaceful night and a great view when we woke up. I was also feeling much improved by the morning.

After breakfast we set off to visit the Winter War Memorial near Suomussalmi. I know you all love my history lessons, so here goes. Over the years Finland has been ruled by Sweden and then Russia. After the Russian Revolution in 1917 the Finns took the opportunity to declare independence and the borders were eventually agreed in 1919. After the start of the second world war the Soviet Union attempted an invasion of Finland in what is known as the Winter War of 1939/40. It is a defining moment in Finnish history because they gave a good account of themselves against the mighty Red Army and in the end the Soviets had to negotiated peace. For the Finns the quintessential battle of the war was the Battle of Suomussalmi where 11,000 Finns conclusively defeated 55,000 Red Army troups.

Artillery piece from the Winter War

Not only is the Winter War important for the Finns, it has also been argued that the Red Army’s poor showing against the small Finnish army led Hitler to believe the Red Army to be weak and thus encouraged his invasion of the Soviet Union later in the war.

Winter War Memorial

A Winter War Memorial has been erected near Suomussalmi and consists of 1,000 of rough hewn rocks spread around a field, representing the dead of both sides and then in the centre is asculpture with 105 bells hanging from it corresponding the number of days the war lasted. The sound of bells is supposed to remind us of the futility of war. It was a very moving place, all the more so when you realised that the Battle of Suomussalmi took place in the middle of a Finnish winter during December 1939 and January 1940.

Winter War Memorial Central Sculpture

Our second and final stop for the day was the Martinselkosen Erakeskus Wildlife Centre. The idea for this stop started at my Camera Club last year when we had a lecture from a wildlife photographer and some of his photographs were of wild bears in Finland. I talked to him about how he had got the shots and he explained that near the Russian border there were a few wildlife centres who could arrange for you to see and photograph bears in the wild. So while we were travelling in Greece I started Googling possibilities and came across Martinselkosen Erakeskus. They put bait out for the bears and clients sit in hides and are almost guaranteed a bear sighting. So Sarah and I booked two consecutive days in the evening hide, so one of us could watch bears while the other looked after Mabel and Melek.

Today is Sarah’s day and she has just set off for the hide. I have promised to delay publishing the post until 8pm Finnish time, so if she had any early sightings she can send me a photo from her iPhone to be included in the blog. Time will tell*.

We have parked Basil in the Wildlife Centre car park. There is German motorhome here as well and electricity is available and water refill, but no cassette emptying. The cost for a motorhome is €10 a night plus €5 if you want electricity, which we don’t.

The Wildlife Centre is very remote, just 2km from the Russian border. I was pleased to see that they had bird feeders and nesting boxes out and I spent the afternoon with my birding lens photographing whatever I could, including a very cheeky red squirrel who made repeated raids on the feeders!

Cheeky Squirrel

Tomorrow is my turn with the bears but I am also looking forward to spending more time photographing birds and maybe the odd squirrel. In addition to the birds I have photographed I have also seen a woodpecker, but I am not sure of the species and a Siberian Jay. I would like to capture these with my camera tomorrow.

*I’ve heard nothing from Sarah at the time of publication, so either there are no bears or she hasn’t got a mobile connection. I think the latter is more likely so you will have to wait until tomorrow for your first wild bear pictures.

Magnificent Bullfinch

Snowbunting?

Female Siskin

Male Siskin

Willow Tit (I think)

Squirrel Nutkin