SW Finland

We continue along the coastal roads of SW Finland past the bays and islands of the Southern Gulf of Bothnia. The towns of Pori, Rauma and Turku have a wonderful historical charm about them, and the coastline is fascinating. Most of these towns are located 5-10km from the shoreline, and significant engineering has been undertaken to maintain the historical ports. But this was not always the case. A few hundred years ago, these towns were at the water's edge. But over that time (and for thousands of years prior to that), the land has been rising, and the water has receded. During the last ice age, this area was covered with up to 3,000m of ice, the incredible weight of which pushed down the earth's crust. After the ice melted and the weight was removed, the land has been slowly "springing" back. In a person's lifetime (even now), the land rises by about a metre. So, what was once coastline a few hundred years ago when these towns were established, is now 5-6 metres above sea level. And we finally have sunsets again (even if they are at about 1100pm).Read more