Photo: Joonas Vinnari
Nuuksio National Park in Espoo.
Text by Anna Eloaho
Into the woods and out to the sea
W
ith its 1,5 million inhabitants, the Helsinki Metropolitan area is the most densely habited part of Finland. One might think that in order to escape the urban hustle and bustle for pure nature one should travel rather far from the capital region. We let you in on a secret: there is proper Finnish forest within walking distance from the city centre, to be reached in just 15 minutes. In fact, there is no other capital region of over million inhabitants in the world with so much surrounding nature. The Central Park of Helsinki makes it possible to reach a forest by foot from anywhere from the city centre. Traversing Helsinki from south to north, the Central Park is the green gateway for the commuters as well as an easily reachable outdoor haven for those who enjoy the smell of green forest and birdsong. Founded in 1914, the Central Park offers opportunities for outdoor sports and recreation throughout the year. Central Park begins near the Helsinki Opera House at the Töölönlahti Bay, in the middle of the city. Central Park ends in the untouched primeval forest of Haltiala by the river Vantaa on the northern border of Helsinki. Other nature protection areas in the northern part of the park include Pitkäkoski deciduous forest, Niskala arboretum and Ruutinkoski deciduous forest. The green zones of the Metropolitan area form a unique Green Belt, extending from the Sipoonkorpi area to the peninsula of Porkkala. The Green Belt consists of the archipelago, the coastline, the rivers, the forests, the bogs and the cultural landscapes of the Metropolitan
area. The numerous nature conservation areas as well as the more recreational areas all form a pathway and a natural network allowing animals and plant species to transfer from one area to another. The widest forest areas, such as the Nuuksio and Sipoonkorpi National Parks in Espoo and Sipoo and Petikko in Vantaa are situated outside Kehä 3 (Ring 3) road. Petikko, Sipoonkorpi and Nuuksio National Park all have walking trails to offer. In Nuuksio, for example, it is possible to choose between several trails of different lengths. The shortest one, the Maahisenkierros trail (1.9 kilometres) is accessible for wheelchairs and baby buggies. There are dozens of recreational forests, walking routes, arboretums and woodland areas within easy reach in the Metropolitan area. By public transportation one can easily reach woodland gems such as the oak forest of Tammisto in Vantaa, the Viikki arboretum at Vanhankaupunginlahti, Uutela nature trail in Vuosaari in eastern Helsinki and Haaga Rhododendron park in western Helsinki. Longer urban walking and hiking routes include the Espoo Rantaraitti by the seaside. The Metropolitan area has plenty of options for bikers, too. Among them are the various themed bike routes such as “ the Central Park 100 years” and “the Olympic games of Helsinki in 1952”. A great choice for a nature enthusiast on a rainy day is Haltia Nature Centre, close to the Nuuksio National Park in Espoo. Along with exhibitions, shop and restaurant it offers more detailed information about the Metropolitan nature network Green Belt. Other interesting options include the Botanic Garden in Kaisaniemi as well as the Botanical Garden (Talvipuutarha) at Töölö Bay.
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