Nature in Helsinki
Woods
”You would think you would have to drive very far out of the city to find the woods but you don’t, you just have to pull over”, said actor Philip Rosenthal while visiting Helsinki in Netflix serie Somebody Feed Phil. That is so true. Here are some places you can visit if you want to meet Mother Nature. And did you know that in Finland we have the cleanest air and the cleanest waters in the world!
Keskuspuisto is Central Park in English but it is not a park, it is woods in the middle of Helsinki. There are different paths to enter the area and no fences around it so make your own way in. Or follow mine: take tram 10 from the stop Johanneksenkirkko (about 200 meters from my place) to north and take off on stop Kuusitie (”Spruce street”). Then just choose any street that goes to east (to the right side of Mannerheimintie) and after 100 meters of walk you are in the woods. Don’t be afraid to choose small paths and to walk anywhere your feet want to go: you can’t get lost because eventually you always arrive to a bigger street. And no need to be afraid: this is totally safe place even if it gets dark in the evening. People let their kids play alone in this area around the year.
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中央公園
Keskuspuisto is Central Park in English but it is not a park, it is woods in the middle of Helsinki. There are different paths to enter the area and no fences around it so make your own way in. Or follow mine: take tram 10 from the stop Johanneksenkirkko (about 200 meters from my place) to north and take off on stop Kuusitie (”Spruce street”). Then just choose any street that goes to east (to the right side of Mannerheimintie) and after 100 meters of walk you are in the woods. Don’t be afraid to choose small paths and to walk anywhere your feet want to go: you can’t get lost because eventually you always arrive to a bigger street. And no need to be afraid: this is totally safe place even if it gets dark in the evening. People let their kids play alone in this area around the year.
If you go to Uutela Outdoor Park by public transport it takes over an hour but many think it is worth it. Take metro to Vuosaari and change to bus 90 for four stops or just walk across Vuosaari habitat area to sea shore (there is a beautiful beach if you want to swim on your way!) and continue to east until you reach the woods. Have a great day in the nature and make your own lunch by frying sausages in the hut (there should be free firewood in there).
Uutelan ulkoilupuisto
30 UutelantieIf you go to Uutela Outdoor Park by public transport it takes over an hour but many think it is worth it. Take metro to Vuosaari and change to bus 90 for four stops or just walk across Vuosaari habitat area to sea shore (there is a beautiful beach if you want to swim on your way!) and continue to east until you reach the woods. Have a great day in the nature and make your own lunch by frying sausages in the hut (there should be free firewood in there).
To go to Seurasaari Island take bus 20 from the stop Iso Roobertinkatu and take off on stop Meilahdentie. Walk west along Meilahdentie and soon you will see signs to Seurasaari. There is a bridge that leads to the island. You can just walk around the island in the woods - don’t be afraid to take the small paths - or visit open-air museum with old buildings, or fry sausages at the fireplace (firewood is free of charge but bring your own matches!) In the summertime there is also a cafe on the island.
Seurasaari island
To go to Seurasaari Island take bus 20 from the stop Iso Roobertinkatu and take off on stop Meilahdentie. Walk west along Meilahdentie and soon you will see signs to Seurasaari. There is a bridge that leads to the island. You can just walk around the island in the woods - don’t be afraid to take the small paths - or visit open-air museum with old buildings, or fry sausages at the fireplace (firewood is free of charge but bring your own matches!) In the summertime there is also a cafe on the island.
Do you want to visit a forest straight from the fairytales? This is your place! Trees here are really, really old and the athmosphere is magical. Many people don’t know of this place - if you show your photos of this forest to Helsinki people, they think you took them in another country! This forest is in Vantaa city but you can reach it in 20 minutes by buses 614 and 615 that leave from the main railway station (ticket AB is valid for this trip). Take off for example on stop Koetilankatu and you see the forest in front of you - just walk in! If you want to have a cup of coffee after your trip to forest, there is Haltiala Home Animal Farm and Arboretum very close in address Laamannintie 17, Helsinki.
Tammiston luonnonsuojelualue
TammistontieDo you want to visit a forest straight from the fairytales? This is your place! Trees here are really, really old and the athmosphere is magical. Many people don’t know of this place - if you show your photos of this forest to Helsinki people, they think you took them in another country! This forest is in Vantaa city but you can reach it in 20 minutes by buses 614 and 615 that leave from the main railway station (ticket AB is valid for this trip). Take off for example on stop Koetilankatu and you see the forest in front of you - just walk in! If you want to have a cup of coffee after your trip to forest, there is Haltiala Home Animal Farm and Arboretum very close in address Laamannintie 17, Helsinki.
Lammassaari is an island you can enter without a boat: there is a wooden path (”pitkospuut; I don’t know what that is in English but it is a kind of a wooden bridge that is not in the air but on the ground). On the island there is a forest and small paths all around the island. There are also some private cabins but as everywhere in Finland, nature is a shared space and you are allowed to roam and enjoy. To reach this place you can take tram 1 and exit on stop Arabianranta (1 km walk from the tram stop along a shoreline). If you want to meet some sheeps, there is another island Kuusiluoto that you can enter via Lammassaari; a herd of sheeps live there on summertime eating grass. Please don’t feed them.
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Lammassaaren pitkospuut
Lammassaari is an island you can enter without a boat: there is a wooden path (”pitkospuut; I don’t know what that is in English but it is a kind of a wooden bridge that is not in the air but on the ground). On the island there is a forest and small paths all around the island. There are also some private cabins but as everywhere in Finland, nature is a shared space and you are allowed to roam and enjoy. To reach this place you can take tram 1 and exit on stop Arabianranta (1 km walk from the tram stop along a shoreline). If you want to meet some sheeps, there is another island Kuusiluoto that you can enter via Lammassaari; a herd of sheeps live there on summertime eating grass. Please don’t feed them.
城市建議
切勿錯過
Edible in the woods
You can find many edible plants in the woods. Bilberries (after the middle of July), lingonberry (after the end of August), raspberries (in July), salt grass (tastes a bit like rucola), chanterelle (July-September) etc. In this area we have so little air pollution that you can eat plants almost everywhere if you just are sure no dog has peed on them. :) And make sure that you know what you eat, I don’t want you to get sick by eating poisonous mushrooms!!
風俗和文化
Every-mans-rights in Finland
In Finland, nature is both wild and free. The law allows anyone living in or visiting Finland the freedom to roam the countryside, forage, fish with a line and rod, and enjoy the recreational use of natural areas – respectfully, of course. This is known as “The Everyman’s Rights,” or Jokamiehen oikeudet. For example, if you see a forest anywhere in Finland, you are allowed to step in. (Well, maybe not on the Russian border - but yes on the Swedish and Norwegian border!) Read more: https://www.visitfinland.com/en/articles/finnish-everyman-rights-the-right-to-roam/