Mires are very common between forests and lakes in Finland. They typically have very wet terrain consisting of peat. Valkmusa National Park in southern Finland includes several dozen mire habitat types in their natural state.
This place is worth visiting all year round. In Finland, there is the freedom to hike in the forests, pick berries, and otherwise enjoy the recreational use of natural areas, but of course, respectfully. With this right comes also everyone´s responsibility.
Background skiing is a pleasant way to make a day trip in the winter in the flat terrain of this mire. A lot of fresh snow had recently fallen when I decided to head there in November. It was a sunny day, and because of the snow, it was very bright. It was just a few degrees Celsius below freezing.
The sun shines low at these northern latitudes in winter, and there are only a few daylight hours at that time of year. The twilight time is long. All this creates special lighting conditions for photographers.
The stunted pines diversify the open mire landscape, and the clouds visible on the horizon add a particular touch to this snowy landscape.
