TET Finland
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adventure
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motorcycle
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TET
Finland has 4 main routes from south to north. Section 1 starts from Helsinki and goes all the way up to Norway. This is may be the most common route for TET-riders.
Section 2 leaves Section 1 in Hämeenlinna and runs on the west side of Section 1. Section 2 has a detour (section 8) that has maybe the most amazing enduro roads in Finland! So if you're in for a challenge Choose this one!
Section 3 starts from the north side of Turku and it pretty much follows the west coast of the country. You will ride through the beautiful cities of Uusikaupunki and Rauma and further north you will have to choose between the "more challenging north route" or the "easier south route". Section 3 then follows the western border with Sweden in the north part of the country.
Section 4 starts from Vaalimaa which is the most south border crossing point to Russia. Section 4 follows the Russian border and you will probably meet a border patrol on this route. Section 4 connects with section 1 in Raate road.
The ferry from Tallinn to Helsinki takes about 2 1/2 hours, with ferries operating multiple times a day.
Helsinki is a typical capital city, with lots of traffic and busy rush hours. The city itself is well worth a visit and offers quite some sightseeing. The gravel fun starts about an hour outside the metropolitan area and leads mainly through agricultural districts for some time.
Around Suomussalmi you will encounter the Battle of Raate road featuring museums and relics (trenches, tanks) of the fierce fighting that took place in this area during WWII between Finnish and Soviet forces. Well worth exploring for those interested in history.
A few hours farther north it is very important to fill up with fuel and stock up on water in a town called Salla. It's the last chance to do so before entering the remotest part of the trail in Finland with almost 300km without guaranteed access to petrol. You'll enter a rather bizarre yet beautiful landscape featuring a confusing network of gravel roads and trails, called 'Tuntsan erämaa' (Tuntsa wilderness area). Anyway there is a restaurant and holiday resort called "Tulppion Majat" and they should have gasoline that you can buy.
Watch out for reindeer that might jump out of the bushes at the very last moment! Also remember to close the gates behind you.
After a few hours you'll come within a few hundred meters of the 'Lokan tekojärvi' (Lokka Reservoir), said to be the biggest European water reservoir west of the Dnieper. If you want to see it you'll have to turn right to enter the village of Lokka, otherwise it's hidden behind forest.
Beyond Sodankylä the TET will lead you north-west to the Norwegian border. In the border region itself you will have to cover some kilometers on tarmac.
The Finnish part of the TET largely consists of wide, hard-packed gravel roads that take turns with narrow, freshly graded single-lane tracks and worn-out dirt trails that don't appear to be travelled very often. The North is decidedly different from the South, with its own fauna and flora, and more rugged sections.It is important to watch out for reindeer and other animals such as moose.The former roam the vastness of the country in thousands and you will frequently encounter them in groups. Usually where there's one reindeer, there are many and it's best to approach them at walking pace. Their escape route either takes them straight back into the wilderness or farther down the road for a few meters - but they'll get out of your way eventually.
The TET in Finland can easily be travelled on big adventure bikes although one or two sections might be a bit narrow for big boxers. In dry conditions tyres of the likes of TKC70 or K60 work decently enough, but extended rain may turn some trails into mud-baths.
Author Tips & Tricks
Finland has been settled for thousands of years and there are numerous artefacts and old structures hidden in the wilderness. Finding them is often a matter of luck since not all archeological sites are clearly marked as such. Major parts of the TET follow the Finnish-Russian border, which has seen massive battles during WWII. Relics of that period can be found especially in the area around Suomussalmi.
Top tips: Reindeer meat, salmiakki (you'll either love it or hate it) and Fazer chocolate. Koskenkorva viina and vodka for those brave enough.
