Description of the attraction
White bridges, or it is also called Yukanokoski, is the highest waterfall in the entire south of Karelia. Volopad is located 10 km from the town of Leppäsilta and 30 km from the town of Pitkäranta. The height of Yukanokoski is 19 m, which is 8 m higher than a particularly popular and well-known Karelian landmark - the Kivach waterfall. But Yukanokoski is much inferior to its competitor in terms of water flow, but the amazing landscapes and picturesque countryside are in no way inferior to the Kivach waterfall.
The appearance of the waterfall undergoes changes depending on the season. For example, during spring floods, the waterfall looks like a monolithic bursting stream, which has a yellow color due to admixtures of peat; it collapses from a high and huge stone step into a large foaming cauldron at its foot. In the summertime, the water of White Mosty breaks into beautiful lace, consisting of crystal clear streams. In autumn, the majestic waterfall gains strength again, and this process continues until the first frost. In winter, the water flow is not powerful enough to break the ice. For this reason, in the fierce winter, White Bridges completely freeze over from above and turn into a solid frame, consisting of numerous ice surges, under which water still flows.
Not only the waterfall itself, but also its surroundings are especially picturesque and eye-catching. Directly above the waterfall, you can see the spectacular Kulismajoki River, which slowly flows along the moss-covered trees and boulders. The river flows to the point where it drops into a steep abyss, and the foot of the flowing water is almost impossible to see. The left bank of the river, covered with tall spruces, looks especially beautiful.
Not far from the majestic waterfall, there is another one, which is often called White Bridges 2. The second waterfall was formed by a channel along which some of the river water flows around a miniature island on the opposite side of the main water discharge. A feature of White Mosty 2 is that in hot summer weather, this waterfall can almost completely dry out; in the spring season or in rainy weather, the waterfall is no less picturesque than its “older brother”.
Near the waterfall, where there is a descent into the canyon, there is a beautiful meadow, where there is an opportunity to set up a small tent camp. During the summer period, incredibly tall grass grows in the clearing, but in spring or early summer, the entire territory of the clearing is free for tens of meters on each side of the main path, which leads directly to the waterfall.
The waterfall got its name from the white stone. It found its application among the Finns in the construction of bridges that were built across the Kulismajoki River. At the moment, only fragments remain from the former bridges. Also, a Finnish farm was located in this place. Not far from a large glade, next to a waterfall, destroyed stone structures have survived to this day, among which were discovered important and especially interesting types of structures that fully characterize the everyday life of the ancient inhabitants of these places.
In modern times, many kilometers of the territory located around the White Bridges has almost no settlement. The most common inhabitants of these places are tourists, hunters and lumberjacks. Numerous tourists come to these places to admire the beautiful view of the White Bridges; up to several large separate groups of tourists visit the waterfall throughout the day. As for the organized visit, this has not happened yet, but private drivers from nearby cities sometimes take car trips to the waterfall and back.
Since the presence of a person in this area is very insignificant, a considerable number of wild animals are found in the surrounding areas of White Bridges, including: wolves, bears, because meetings with these representatives of the fauna have been recorded on film by visitors of the waterfall more than once. It is for this reason that it is worth paying attention to the environment and being careful when meeting this kind of wild animals.
