Kivinokka outdoor recreation area

In Kivinokka, you can walk along sandy roads and narrower trails. Kivinokka’s old forest nature reserve has a lot of visitors. You protect the valuable forest from wear and tear by staying on the trails.

Kivinokka nature trail (300 m)

Kivinokka's old forest nature reserve's nature trail, the Puumerkkipolku trail (tree marker trail), is also suitable for visitors with disabilities. 

Kivinokka nature trail, accessible

Picnic spots

Kivinokka is a great place for a picnic. You can stop to eat, for example, by the sea or under a shelter on the nature trail. There is a small covered gazebo at the end of Kivinokka.

Eateries and cafés

There is a café during the summer season in connection with Kivinokka’s large beach.

Kivinokka beach

Cooking shelters and fire places

There is no public fire place in Kivinokka.

Toilets

There is a public toilet (dry toilet) open during the summer season in the vicinity of Kivinokka's large beach.

You can stop by Kivinokka briefly or spend the whole day relaxing and observing nature.

Birdwatching platform

Watch the birds from Kivinokka’s birdwatching platform. You may also see bats at dusk. Kivinokka’s accessible birdwatching platform provides a view of the landscape to the waters of Vanhankaupunginlahti. The birdwatching platform is at the end of Kivinokka’s accessible nature trail.

Kivinokka birdwatching platform, accessible

Canoeing station

The self-service canoeing station rents kayaks and SUP boards. See the Rules and Recommendations section for restrictions on navigating waters in nature reserves. Moving around in the Viikki-Vanhankaupunginlahti nature reserve during the ice-free season is forbidden by law. The protected area in the water is marked with buoys.

Kivinokka canoeing station(Link leads to external service)

Public beaches

There are two places to go swimming in Kivinokka.

Kivinokka beach, location on map(Link leads to external service)

Fishing

Learn more about fishing areas and more detailed instructions. Fishing in the Viikki-Vanhankaupunginlahti nature reserve is completely forbidden.

Fishing areas and restrictions in Helsinki(Link leads to external service)

Explore Kivinokka

Kivinokka ry has compiled an information page for visitors to the area, which tells about the activities and attractions of Kivinokka.

Visit Kivinokka(Link leads to external service)

Summer cottage areas

Kivinokka has summer cottage areas rented from the City of Helsinki. Summer cottage operations are organised by a number of associations. Kivinokka is a recreation area that is open for all residents of the city. Please respect the peace of the cottage and yard areas.

Kivinokkalaiset ry (in Finnish)(Link leads to external service)

Helsingin Ponnistus ry (in Finnish)(Link leads to external service)

Allotment garden

Kivinokka has an allotment garden area rented from the City of Helsinki, which is operated by the Herttoniemen Siirtolapuutarhayhdistys ry association. You can move freely in the area between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. The cottages and plots are the private property of the tenants.

Herttoniemen Siirtolapuutarhayhdistys ry (in Finnish)(Link leads to external service)

Food plant allotments

Food plant allotments are rented primarily to the residents of Kivinokka’s cottages, but also to the residents of the nearby area.

Kivinokkalaiset ry (in Finnish)(Link leads to external service)

Glacial potholes

There are at least two glacial potholes in Kivinokka, which are located in a forest in the nature reserve north-east of the allotment garden area.

Glacial potholes, location(Link leads to external service)

Kivinokka is a forested, nature-rich and diverse cape, bordered from the northern and north-eastern parts by the internationally significant bird reserve, Viikki-Vanhankaupunginlahti. The majority of Kivinokka's old forest is a nature reserve and an exceptionally valuable polypore area. The protected forest is characterised by the impressively sturdy spruce trees and large amount of dead wood, relative to Helsinki. In some places, the forest has damp depressions, such as a very valuable fen, where it is good to avoid walking due to the sensitivity of the area. 

Kivinokka is also a valuable area for bats. Old trees, food plant allotments and more open areas, as well as the cottages, provide bats with predation areas, as well as hiding and breeding places. 

Nature reserves

There are two nature reserves in the Kivinokka area: Kivinokka's old forest and Viikki-Vanhankaupunginlahti. In order to protect nature, the use of the areas has been restricted through statutory protection regulations. Read more about the restrictions in the Rules and recommendations section.  

Nature reserves on a map(Link leads to external service)

The Citynature website presents the nature of Vanhankaupunginlahti 

Read more about nature and history. On the map, near Kivinokka, you will find the locations of the Vanhankaupunginlahti's cartographic information boards in Kipparlahdensilmukka and along the Herttoniemi hiking trail.

Vanhankaupunginlahti’s location page(Link leads to external service)

Vanhankaupunginlahti’s latest bird sightings  

See the latest bird sightings in Viikki-Vanhankaupunginlahti.

Updating observation page (in Finnish)(Link leads to external service)

Species observations in Kivinokka

The iNaturalist application allows you to easily record your species observations on your phone. The artificial intelligence and other application users can help you to identify the species. The confirmed observations are recorded at the Finnish Biodiversity Information Facility (FinBIF), where they serve researchers, authorities and nature enthusiasts.

Species observations in Kivinokka (in Finnish)(Link leads to external service)

Species observations in Kivinokka(Link leads to external service)

Rules and regulations for nature reserves 

There are two nature reserves in the Kivinokka area: Kivinokka's old forest and Viikki-Vanhankaupunginlahti. Nature reserves, location on map(Link leads to external service)

When in Kivinokka's old forest and Viikki-Vanhankaupunginlahti nature reserves, observe the following rules

• Do not let dogs, cats or other pets roam free 
• Do not make a fire, barbecue, or camp  
• Do not damage the plants, fungi or lichens 
• No motorised vehicles. You can use electronic mobility aids on the Luonnon syli nature trail and the Lammassaari boardwalk (applies to people with disabilities). 
• Do not cycle on the Lammassaari boardwalk.  
• Do not disturb wildlife or damage nests  
• You are allowed to pick mushrooms and berries

In addition, please note when in protected water areas 

• Do not move in the open water and reed areas during the snow-free season 
• Do not move in the Saunalahti area between 1 March and 30 November, or at any other time by motorised means of transport 
• No fishing – fishing in the Viikki-Vanhankaupunginlahti nature reserve is completely forbidden. The restriction also applies to Saunalahti on the east side of Kivinokka. 

See all protection regulations for nature reserves 

• Conservation decision on Kivinokka’s old forest (pdf, inaccessible, in Finnish)(Link leads to external service) 
• Conservation decision on Viikki-Vanhankaupunginlahti (pdf, inaccessible, in Finnish)(Link leads to external service)

General rules 

In all outdoor areas, observe Everyman’s Rights and rules and move responsibly in nature: 

• Finnish Everyman’s Rights (Nationalparks.fi)(Link leads to external service)
• Stay on the trail – enjoy Helsinki’s nature responsibly
• General rules for outdoor recreation areas (Sports and recreation)(Link leads to external service)

The Kivinokka nature trail, the Puumerkkipolku trail, is accessible. The 300-metre-long trail leads to Kivinokka’s accessible birdwatching platform. The Puumerkkipolku trail has checkpoints with Braille and separate audio guidance that can be listened to online. The Kivinokka nature trail is well suited for people with disabilities. The unmarked trails in the old forest of Kivinokka have roots growing over them and are, in some places, difficult to travel. 

In Kivinokka, you can also move along the wider sand roads starting from Kipparlahdensilmukka to the tip of Kivinokka. You can drive from Kipparlahdensilmukka to a small parking area located north of the Kulosaari Manor building. There is a barrier in the car park, behind which the sand road continues to the starting point of the nature trail, where there is disabled parking (2 spaces). 

Links to the accessibility information of Kivinokka’s nature services will be available here when the information has been added to the accessibility application. Kivinokka’s trails are mainly unlit and do not have winter maintenance.  

Kivinokka nature trail, accessible

Kivinokka birdwatching platform, accessible