Saturday, 22 August 2026, Virpiniemi
The end of summer in Finland is a special time for all nature lovers. Finnish forests are full of berries and mushrooms, while the last sunny days of summer invite us to go for walks and spend time outdoors. The members of the Association of Poles in Northern Finland also decided to make the most of the beautiful summer weather and meet with their families in the forests of Virpiniemi for a shared “Let’s Go Berry Picking!” adventure.
We set off along the forest trails in search of berries – and there was certainly plenty to find! The forest proved to be exceptionally generous, and we quickly realised that we would not be returning home empty-handed.
Our youngest participants, however, had a slightly different approach to berry picking than the adults. Instead of patiently putting the berries into the containers they had brought with them, many preferred to taste the sweet berries straight from the bushes. The berries disappeared just as quickly as they were found! The adults showed a little more patience, and their containers gradually began to fill up.
The forest was full of more than just berries. The sharp-eyed participants of our trip also spotted a few mushrooms, which found their way into our baskets as well. It was a real forest adventure in search of nature’s treasures!
After more than an hour of walking together, it was time to rest and enjoy a shared meal by the campfire. For the adults, it was an opportunity to talk and relax, while the children – as always – quickly came up with more ideas for active fun.
Of course, there was no shortage of tag, ball games and various competitions. One of the highlights was our special forest version of dodgeball – played using… pine cones!
Our youngest participants also had the opportunity to enjoy games purchased thanks to funding received from the City of Oulu. Mölkky, pétanque and croquet quickly became another opportunity for shared fun, friendly competition and spending time together. There was certainly no shortage of laughter, activity and good fun!
We returned home with containers full of sweet berries, which may later be turned into delicious cakes, desserts or traditional Polish blueberry buns. But, as always during gatherings like this, the most valuable thing we took home was something quite different.
The most important things are the time spent together, conversations, children’s laughter, family moments and memories that stay with us for a long time.
Thank you to everyone who joined our berry-picking adventure and spent this beautiful summer afternoon with us in the forests of Virpiniemi.
See you at our next gatherings and adventures! 🌲🫐❤️
