On a day like this, winter in Finland shows its best side. There is hardly any wind, and the sun is shining in a cloudless sky so brightly that sunglasses are essential. By this point in the season, its rays already feel pleasantly warm, even though the air temperature is minus ten degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit).
On Lake Tuusula in southern Finland, the view is an endless expanse of gleaming white snow. A well-maintained, clearly marked “ice route” extends across the surface, ploughed and prepared for skaters, skiers and other outdoor enthusiasts. Groomed cross-country ski tracks run parallel to the ploughed tracks where people are skating or walking.
On a sunny weekend, as many as 10,000 people may visit Lake Tuusula.
It feels as if the whole of Finland has gathered here. Skaters speed past in an endless stream towards the horizon, eventually becoming distant dots against the snow.
We move with the flow towards the lake’s northern end, passing Finnish flags fluttering over the ice and people skating, kicksledding, skiing and cycling. At times, someone speeds past hanging on to a snowkite while standing on skis or a snowboard. Further along, ponies make their way across the lake.
The Vuorinen family visits the frozen lake several times a week. Jonna and Ilkka live in nearby Järvenpää, with their children Ahti and Hugo.
There are lots of people out and about, but it doesn’t feel crowded. The ice route is wide – about 80 metres (87 yards) across – and stretches for seven kilometres (4.5 miles).
Every now and then, a passenger plane flies overhead, a reminder that Helsinki–Vantaa Airport is only about 20 kilometres (12 miles) away.
Ice routes all around
Along the shores of Lake Tuusula, visitors can rent Nordic ice skates (touring skates) and kicksleds. Wilderness guide Helmi Turunen works for Retkiisi, which offers guide services and equipment.
Before the advent of cars, ice-covered lakes offered Finns a convenient shortcut when travelling by sleigh to church or to visit neighbours on the opposite shore. Those sleigh rides are now a thing of the past. Today, people head out onto the ice for leisure and exercise, enjoying the scenery and the crisp winter weather.
The number of maintained routes on frozen lakes seems to have increased in recent years. Judging by social media, they can now be found across the country: some stretch only a few kilometres, others much farther. One of the longest runs through Punkaharju in eastern Finland. Measuring around 17 kilometres (ten miles), it winds through the heart of a stunning esker landscape formed during the last Ice Age.
Sini Saarenharju, Mari Ojala and Seija Kuparinen pause at the café at Vanhankylä Manor during a ski outing. From one end of the lake to the other, the skiing track totals 14 kilometres (8.5 miles).
The ice route on Lake Tuusula is probably the most popular in southern Finland – and for good reason. A volunteer team known as the Ice Observation Men (Jäähavaintomiehet in Finnish) maintain the marked path and provide up-to-date information about conditions. On snowy days, their work can stretch to 20 hours.
Ice Observation Man and long-standing tourism entrepreneur Juha Jäntti was involved in establishing the ice route, which has now been maintained for around ten years.
“The idea is that the ice route is for everyone and that there is a good spirit among people,” Jäntti says. “On the wide ice route, there is space to enjoy the winter.”
Safety first
“There haven’t always been this many people at Lake Tuusula,” Päivi Tähtinen says. “The popularity of the ice route is due to how well it is maintained.”
Even when the ice appears safe, it is wise to treat natural conditions with humility. In their updates, the Ice Observation Men regularly remind people that the ice may be thinner than expected outside the marked route. It can give way in reed beds, near jetties, or close to drainage outlets, for instance.
“We cannot guarantee that the ice is strong enough on every part of the lake,” Jäntti says.
On Lake Tuusula, it’s clear that many people take this message seriously. Setting an example is Päivi Tähtinen, who glides across the ice with her kicksled and her dog Marcel. Around her neck hangs the most important piece of safety equipment: ice picks – handheld spikes designed to help you pull yourself out if you should fall through the ice.
While falling through the ice is rare on the maintained track, slips are another matter. And oops, there goes another skater. Falls are common on a busy day like this. In addition to ice picks, skaters are advised to wear a helmet.
Activities for all tastes
Fjällbo Jetty is one of the best-known landmarks on Lake Tuusula.
As we continue towards the northern end of Lake Tuusula, the atmosphere begins to resemble a public festival. Cafés and campfires dot the ice, offering places to warm up and grill marshmallows.
The jetty at Fjällbo, known for its distinctive triangular structure, is visible from far away. Small groups gather along its edge to sit and chat. At a nearby café run by students from Tuusula Upper Secondary School, visitors can buy hot juice and doughnuts.
Some cafés operate on a pop-up basis. Moving on from Fjällbo towards Onnela on the opposite shore, we come across an open-fire grill run by Juha-Matti Tamminen, where chicken and mushroom skewers are sizzling away. He also offers lentil and sweet potato soup, which receives plenty of praise from customers.
Juha-Matti Tamminen serves lentil soup and chicken skewers on the shore at Onnela.
Tamminen says he came up with the idea of selling food only recently and set up his grill at short notice. The response has been slightly overwhelming, with a steady stream of customers lining up for a portion. Tamminen is the sole employee, so when the grill runs out of firewood, he has to pause sales while he chops more himself.
What makes the Lake Tuusula ice route special is that it seems to offer something for everyone. A sledging hill? Yes. A sauna and ice swimming? Absolutely.
Several places along the Lake Tuusula ice route offer food and drink. The café at Vanhankylä Manor has a cosy atmosphere.
On the opposite shore from Fjällbo, slightly further north, lies Vanhankylänniemi, home to a lakeside sauna. There’s also a hole in the ice where visitors can plunge into the freezing water, as is the Finnish custom. Nearby stands the idyllic Vanhankylä Manor, which sells handicrafts and runs a café.
The café at Vanhankylä Manor is a popular stop among skiers and other outdoor enthusiasts.
To round off the day with fine art, you can stop at Halosenniemi, the former home of renowned artist Pekka Halonen (1865–1933), known for his paintings of snowy landscapes and trees. The Halonen family’s impressive log-built wilderness studio is visible from the marked track, making it easy to step off the ice and into the museum to warm up.
More ice routes in Finland
The Vuorinen family visits the frozen lake several times a week. Jonna and Ilkka live in nearby Järvenpää, with their children Ahti and Hugo.
The Punkaharju ice route in eastern Finland runs through stunning scenery and is maintained daily. At 17 kilometres (ten miles), it is one of the longest in Finland. The route is subject to a fee.
Koli National Park in eastern Finland: In one of the country’s best-known landscapes, forested peaks rise next to an ice route on Lake Pielinen. The trail stretches approximately 2.5 kilometres (1.5 miles) in one direction.
The Porvoo ice route, on the sea ice of southern Finland, varies in length. It has no official operator.
A brief guide to ice safety
- Always check ice conditions and local warnings before heading out.
- Avoid areas with currents, near shorelines, under bridges and around any open water. Do not approach shipping lanes.
- It’s preferable to travel with a companion.
- Carry a set of ice picks around your neck. They are handles with sharp metal points at one end, to help you grip the ice and pull yourself out if you fall through it.
- Keep your phone in a waterproof pouch.
- If you plan to take up Nordic skating (long-distance tour skating), take a course first.
By Anitra Rönkkö, photos by Sami Heiskanen, February 2026
