Finland's Lakeland does not rise, it spreads. Mikkeli lies in the middle of the Saimaa region, in the province of South Savo, on a landscape of long glacial ridges, forest and water that stretches in every direction. The town has about forty-six thousand people, which makes it the biggest place for a long way, and its centre sits on the shore of Lake Saimaa with a small harbour and a market square where you can buy fresh vendace, the little fish called muikku, fried crisp and eaten with mashed potato.
The history is more serious than the setting suggests. During the Second World War, Mikkeli was the headquarters of the Finnish armed forces, and Marshal Mannerheim directed the war from here through the Winter War and the Continuation War. The headquarters building is now a museum, and the whole district keeps a quiet pride in that role. A short climb up the hill of Naisvuori brings you to an observation tower with a view over the town and the lake, which in midsummer remains lit until very late at night, since the sun barely sets this far north.
The roads here are a very different pleasure from the Alps or the Mediterranean. Highway 62 and the minor roads that thread between the lakes are smooth, quiet, and shaded by pine and birch, with long, relaxed curves and the occasional causeway or bridge across a narrow strait. Speed limits are strictly enforced and cameras are common, so ride accordingly. The main hazard is wildlife: elk, which Finns call moose, can step out at dusk, and the sudden appearance of a thousand kilos of animal on a quiet road is a risk worth respecting.
Saimaa is also home to one of the rarest seals in the world, the Saimaa ringed seal, which lives only in these lakes and survives in small numbers. You are unlikely to spot one from the road, but it is a reminder of how particular this landscape is. The water is clear and brown-tinted from the peat, and the smell of pine resin and damp earth after rain lingers everywhere.
Mikkeli has all the services you need, including fuel at several stations, supermarkets and cafes, and the summer season from June to August is easily the best for riding, with warm days and endless light.