Hiking in Lapland

Myllykoski rapids

Myllykoski Rapids is one of my favorite sights in Karhunkierros (and Pieni Karhunkierros). It is 150m long class III whitewater rapids.
In summer of 2008, I was in whitewater paddling course, where we started on Saturday morning from Käylänkoski and paddled along Kitkajoki and on Sunday afternoon we arrived to Myllykoski. We were offered possibility to try it out (as out first class III rapid), but only two out of nine participants dared to try it and I wasn’t one of those two. First one out of those two almost made it, but fell at the very end, and second one went swimming in first turn. So if you don’t have any experience about whitewater paddling, it is really challenging, but for experienced paddlers it should be doable. Just keep in mind that after Myllykoski, there is only something like 200m of stillwater before you arrive to Aallokkokoski, so you definately want to have rescuers in place, before you try it out. If you don’t have whitewater padding experience, but want to experience adrealine rush, rafting boats go through the rapids on daily basis.
For hikers, there is old millhouse, suspension bridge and great looking rapids to explore from shores, what else can you ask for?
Only downside is that I haven’t yet found any one single point, which would give my dream photograph about Myllykoski. I have some sort of idea, where it might be, but I haven’t yet had opportunity to check it out with camera (I believe its under the suspension bridge…).
For photographers, one good question regarding this place is at what time should you visit Myllykoski. Around midnight you would have opportunity to play around with long exposures, but you won’t see any rafting boats in those hours, because they only travel on daytime. Best solution, if you have enough time available, would be to visit on daytime when rafting boat are coming through the rapids and then return on evening, when shutter speeds start getting longer.

On our last four articles (five, if you count this one), we’ve been traveling along Kitkajoki on a hiking trail, which is common for Karhunkierros (Bear’s Ring) and Pieni Karhunkierros. Now it is time to turn away from Pieni Karhunkierros and continue on Karhunkierros hiking trail towards Ruka.

More photographs from Myllykoski