We set the satnav for Camping Silversand and overrode it to make sure that we went by what we thought would be more interesting minor roads and we were right to do so. It was a delightful drive with very little other traffic. Inevitably, we had to join the 52 main road for a few miles but then turned off at Tenala to return to minor roads, before following the 25 for 33km to Hanko.
We went straight to Silversand and were pleased to find it open. In fact, as the owner/manager told us, rather proudly, it is open all year. It is a lovely site and the unenclosed bays are dotted amongst tall conifers. We are by no means the only occupants but it is far from being busy. Behind reception is a cafe and behind that is a "pub", both of which are open. We had coffee and pastries whilst using the wifi. The beach is about 100 yards away and then the Baltic.
We then drove the 4km into Hanko. It's an interesting place. It was a well to do Russian spa town in the late 19th century and opulent seaside villas from the era line the principal road into the centre of the town. As the southernmost town in Finland, Hanko was a strategic base well before its foundation as a town in 1874. It was also a point of emigration: between 1881 and 1931 about 250,000 Finns left for the USA, Canada and Australia via its docks. At the end of the Winter War, the March 1940 peace treaty with Russia required the ceding of Hanko as a naval base. Its inhabitants evacuated as the Russians moved in with a garrison of 30,000 and constructed a huge network of fortifications. Hanko was isolated from the Russian front lines and eventually abandoned in December 1941. Citizens then returned to their damaged town and much restoration work was carried out.
Many of the buildings in the centre of the town also date back to Russian times. Outside the centre are a number of blocks of flats which have an Eastern European feel to them.
Slowing down on seeing a crowd gathered and a woman addressing them on a microphone, with a police presence, we were told later that it was a protest against the transporting of live pigs to or from (not sure which) Finland and Poland/Hungary.
We parked outside tourist information. Although it was shut, the building was open as it also housed a gallery. Nevertheless, the TI could be accessed as it was in an open bay; it is simply not manned at weekends out of season. In the gallery, there were two separate photographic displays, one of wildlife and the other of black and white photographs taken in Rio in 2008. Both photographers were present manning their exhibitions and gave us personal tours of their work. The photographs were for sale, either framed or unframed. We could have been tempted.
We have decided to stay a second night here and will explore more of Hanko.
Amanda
Leaving our strange little overnight place behind
- the 'workers had arrived back in three identical pick up trucks
yesterday evening, cooked in the 'summer kitchen' and gone again by
the time we were up this morning, but not disturbed us at all - we
drove along side roads to our next destination, Hanko, the most
southerly town in Finland. By now the camper is used to getting dusty
on rough unmetalled roads, and Geoff's eyes positively light up at
the chance to get right off the beaten track. Pocket Earth is also
proving more help so far in Finland than it was in Sweden.
We were surprised and very pleased to find Silversands Campsite, just outside Hanko and right on the coast, open for business. It is a big site, but there are few visiting units scattered among the trees. There are also the usual little cabins dotted around. We had coffee and cake in the little cafe, whilst doing the internet stuff. Wifi, though free, is 'unreliable' - the owner's words - and patience was needed.
Hanko is an interesting place. It was built as a spa town in the late 19th century, and was a popular place for the Russian nobility; there are rows of large, faded, once glorious, villas in tree lined roads to be seen. The centre of the town and the beach areas are also very attractive, with small green parks, tree-lined squares, and pleasant buildings. We visited a photographic exhibition in the TIO building, part of the Town Hall. The photographer and his wife live in North Karelia, and his photographs - some wildlife, some views - are taken near their home. We very nearly bought one, and would have done, I'm sure, had we not each fallen in love with different ones. We are planning to visit South Karelia, to the east of Helsinki, next week.
We were surprised and very pleased to find Silversands Campsite, just outside Hanko and right on the coast, open for business. It is a big site, but there are few visiting units scattered among the trees. There are also the usual little cabins dotted around. We had coffee and cake in the little cafe, whilst doing the internet stuff. Wifi, though free, is 'unreliable' - the owner's words - and patience was needed.
Hanko is an interesting place. It was built as a spa town in the late 19th century, and was a popular place for the Russian nobility; there are rows of large, faded, once glorious, villas in tree lined roads to be seen. The centre of the town and the beach areas are also very attractive, with small green parks, tree-lined squares, and pleasant buildings. We visited a photographic exhibition in the TIO building, part of the Town Hall. The photographer and his wife live in North Karelia, and his photographs - some wildlife, some views - are taken near their home. We very nearly bought one, and would have done, I'm sure, had we not each fallen in love with different ones. We are planning to visit South Karelia, to the east of Helsinki, next week.
A quick walk up to the church, where a wedding had
been taking place as we arrived, but was now closed, and a massive water tower, and we resolved to stay an extra night and explore more
tomorrow.
Outside the areas already mentioned it is all quite drab and utilitarian. It very much has an Eastern Bloc feel to it, and is very different from the rest of Scandinavia - indeed Finland does not consider itself to be part of Scandinavia. The language is totally different. Most signs are in both Finnish and Swedish, as Swedish is also an official language. And whereas we found that pretty much everyone spoke English in the other countries we have visited, here those who do, do so much less fluently.
We shopped in Lidl, and cooked in the campsite kitchen near the beach, whilst watching the red sun set over the sea, and looking forward to a Sunday rest day here! Although we managed to eat in the outside covered area by the kitchen, it is decidedly chilly. On our return to the camper, (torches required to find our way through the trees in the dark) a quick blast of the heater was very welcome, and hot water bottles may be required.
Outside the areas already mentioned it is all quite drab and utilitarian. It very much has an Eastern Bloc feel to it, and is very different from the rest of Scandinavia - indeed Finland does not consider itself to be part of Scandinavia. The language is totally different. Most signs are in both Finnish and Swedish, as Swedish is also an official language. And whereas we found that pretty much everyone spoke English in the other countries we have visited, here those who do, do so much less fluently.
We shopped in Lidl, and cooked in the campsite kitchen near the beach, whilst watching the red sun set over the sea, and looking forward to a Sunday rest day here! Although we managed to eat in the outside covered area by the kitchen, it is decidedly chilly. On our return to the camper, (torches required to find our way through the trees in the dark) a quick blast of the heater was very welcome, and hot water bottles may be required.
No comments:
Post a Comment