Lammi lies in the lake country of southern Finland, in the Häme region, about a hundred kilometres north of Helsinki, and its fame rests on two things: a lake landscape of unusual calm, and a beer. The beer is sahti, a traditional Finnish farmhouse ale brewed from malted barley and rye, flavoured with juniper rather than hops, and filtered through juniper branches. It is cloudy, sweet and surprisingly strong, and Lammi is considered the capital of sahti, with brewers who have kept the tradition alive for generations. A glass, if you can find it, is worth trying, though not before riding.
The landscape is classic Finland: forest of pine and spruce, birch groves, small lakes with reeds and boathouses, and wooden farm buildings painted red or ochre. Nearby is the Evo forest, a large area of old woodland with many lakes, popular for walking and fishing, and the Lammi Biological Station of the University of Helsinki studies the ecosystems of the lakes.
The roads in the area are a pleasure. Narrow, quiet and well surfaced, they curve between lakes and woods, with gentle ups and downs, and the speed limits are strictly enforced, with cameras on the main roads. Deer and elk can cross at dusk, and collisions with elk are a serious hazard in Finland, so watch your speed in the evening and early morning. In summer, the roads are shaded by trees, and the lakes sparkle through the gaps. Autumn is lovely, with golden birch, and the first frost brings a crispness to the air. Winter brings ice and snow, and the riding season ends.
Lammi has about five thousand people, so you will find a fuel station and a small supermarket, and Hämeenkoski and Tuulos are smaller, with limited services. A cup of coffee and a pulla, a cardamom bun, at a village cafe is an ideal stop. The smell of the place is pine resin and lake water, with woodsmoke in the evening. In the summer light, which lasts until almost midnight, a late ride to the lakeshore feels like a gift.