- Let´s go picking blueberries (bilberries), said my husband. So we did and left for the seaside forest off the city of Oulu by car.

Every Finn is taught to pick berries as a child even at school. I also was taken to the forest in my childhood home in Lappajärvi, where there also were snakes in the forest. This time here we might meet a dangerous snake, too and, for that we always wear rubberboots.

We picked 13 litres European blueberries (not blackberries, as I told) by picking them with a kind of picking machine. It was blowing a lot since the forest is situated by the seaside. That´s why there were no insects when we started picking blueberries at 4 p.m in a bright summer sun.

There are only ten percent of berry pickers who are Finnish nowadays. Most pickers come from Thailand. Mostly picked berries are blueberry, lingonberry and cloudberry, which grows on the swamps.

Berry picking belongs to the Finnish outdoor life wich is rather appreciated among older peolpe, but also the fact berries are some kind of super food, might bring younger adults to the forests. Trekking tours to the extreme surroundings are tempting possibilities.

After this four hour trip we had a proper sauna bath to ease the muscles. No pain afterwards!

If ever you come to Finland, ask us as guides for your extreme trekking tour. We have a long experience in making tours to the nature.

Contact info www.mrssantasite.com