If you can spare some time, and if clouds, rain or fog do not inhibit visibility, you can admire the scenery of the open fells on both days and on all courses. The checkpoint intervals on the first day are relatively equal in length, but we have tried to find alternatives for route selection even for short intervals. On the second day, the length of the longest intervals was limited by the A3 size of the map.
The terrain is good to walk or run on both days, especially in the pine forests and on the lower slopes of the fells. Is the most direct route the best option after all? Above the pine tree line, visibility is sometimes obstructed by dense fell birch, so in the couple’s series you shouldn’t leave your team mate far behind. In higher fell areas, fell birches grow only low on the ground, so your knee must rise higher than usual.
On the first day, the Luttojoki river crossings are located along the optimal route for most of the courses. The participants of some series will have to think about whether to choose a route through the crossing points or whether to get wet in the river. Some of the small streams are difficult to spot in the terrain – read the contour lines and take a good look at the vegetation.
The areas marked with gray rock color on the map are not always solid rock on the ground, but smallish rock areas scattered here and there.
There is variation how the paths and vehicle tracks in the terrain are shown on the map. The sturdiest, vehicle worthy tracks and outdoor routes are depicted with a solid black line. Drivable tracks and winter roads are hardly distinguishable from each other in the terrain. Snowmobile routes are mainly depicted as winter roads. If a track is marked on the map, there is some kind of track visible in the terrain. In addition to the tracks marked in the map, there will be countless paths made by reindeer that are not.
Checkpoints are placed clearly visible and located in places that have distinguishable features. Check points located in the open fell and on slopes are the most difficult, especially if visibility is poor. Choosing the direction of approach for a checkpoint is worth considering carefully. Direction, distance and contour line reading skills are vital for successful fell orienteering.