view

The highest point in Helsinki lies in staggering 91m above sea level: on top of Malminkartanonhuippu hill located in Malminkartano (yes.). Adjacent to one of Vantaa’s rougher neighbourhoods, Myyrmäki. Well you know, rough in Finnish sense, which for anyone at least partly cosmopolitan means quirky yet laughably safe.

Malminkartanonhuippu is not a common hill (that would be geologically quite interesting in fact). It is an artificial hill. It was “created” over about 20 years in 1970-90s. It was built from rubbish – electric waste, tyres, etc. – and put together with help of dirt and sand and a lot of will power. I was just waiting for the moment when the Earth would shake a bit and a three-eyed fish would appear above the dirt/ice surface…

… nah, the hill is (apparently) pretty green and decent. Situated in a park (well, a common maybe), it is a popular spot for cross-country runners and other sport freaks (I mean enthusiasts), dog-walkers, families – and to my ardour for adult hobby sleighers! Yay!

There are several possible ways to reach the hill; as I came from Myyrmäki (where I was to check out the new museum) I chose to take the stairs. The stairs with 10cm thick layer of ice on them.

Fortunately the boxing classes have payed off and I sort of pulled my weigh up the hill. If you are visiting in winter, I cannot recommend decent winter boots (or shoe spike) enough.

The weather was not as bad as it looks in the pictures (it did not rain or snow and there were a few rays of light), but a wool coat, slim jeans and boots with thin slippery sole were bad. I could hardly move anywhere, and I could not walk/slide down the hill either, it was simply too icy – and I did not have my pink bob-sleigh with me.

In summer I would recommend bringing packed lunch with you. And/or try to run up the stairs, apparently there is an annual race in that very discipline. And/or bring your MTB with you.

And some February views? Not as impressive as from the Olympic Stadium tower, one is simply too far away from the centre, but truly Finnish: flat, forested land with occasional water tower or a housing project/shopping mall.