Located at the southern end of the Viikki-Vanhankaupunginlahti nature reserve, on the Kivinokka cape, the Puumerkkipolku trail is an excellent nature hiking destination for outdoor enthusiasts, schoolchildren and people with disabilities.
Contact information
Materials for the Puumerkkipolku marked trail
From the Herttoniemi and Kulosaari metro stations, you can reach Kivinokka and Rajatie via the Kipparlahti loop and Kulosaari Manor. Rajatie is not an ‘official’ road, which means it does not appear on online map services.
The Kivinokka car park is located to the north-west of Kulosaari Manor. It is a 300-metre walk along Rajatie from the Kivinokka car park to the start of the nature trail. The road is steep, covered in rock dust and uneven in places. At the start of the nature trail, there is a turning point for drop-off vehicles and a few accessible parking spaces
Further instructions
Location of the nature trail on the map (PDF, in Finnish, not accessible)
The information on the map is also provided in the text. The map shows the check points on the marked trail, which are located, on average, 50 metres apart. The marked tree species include pussy willow, aspen, pine, spruce, birch and deadwood.
The Puumerkkipolku marked trail is 330 metres long and is also suitable for people with reduced mobility and functional capacity. The nature trail is level, just over a metre wide and covered with rock dust. In some places, the path is steep and exceeds the maximum gradient of eight per cent for an accessible route. Along the nature trail there are benches and a handrail that guides visitors from one marker to the next and towards the birdwatching platform.
At the marker or trail sign, the path is paved with wood, and the handrail bears the serial number of the tree in question. At the tree markers, you can listen to the stories on these pages about the mixed forest environment, read the stories of the trees on the information boards in Finnish, Swedish and Braille, and touch the trees and the raised reliefs – the tree markers.
The Kivinokka marked tree trail ends at a birdwatching platform, which offers a magnificent view of the Viikki-Vanhankaupunginlahti nature reserve. To return to the starting point at the Rajatie dip near the main information board, follow the route you took on the way in.
In the past, houses – and sometimes even individuals – had their own mark, puumerkki. These marks were simple symbols or letters that were used in the place of an official signature. The main tree species of the mixed forest – birch, pine, spruce, aspen, pussy willow and standing deadwood – are nature’s own marks, signposts along the marked trail pointing towards the shore, the shelter, the birdwatching platform and the nature reserve.
The trail markers are located near six different species of tree. The information boards provide details about the insects that live in the trees in Finnish, Swedish and Braille.
You can sit on the sheltered benches, enjoy a snack and watch the goings-on in the surrounding environment. The birdwatching platform on the Saunalahti cliff offers a magnificent view of Vanhankaupunginlahti bay. The birdwatching platform is also accessible by wheelchair. The signs on the platform provide information on the birds of the nature reserve, the reed-filled landscape and the sounds of nature in Saunalahti.
Location
The outdoor trail
- There are 2 parking spaces marked as accessible in the parking area. The information board about the nature trail is less than 20 m away and can be seen in the parking area. The surface of the parking area is stone ash.
- The pick-up and drop-off area is located under 20 m from the information board.
- The nature trail is one-way. The length of the one-way route is less than 500 meters.
- The digital map (in Finnish and Swedish) can be found at https://www.hel.fi/static/hkr/viher/kuvat/puumerkkipolku.pdf
- There are 6 information boards along the nature trail.
- The nature trail is hard and smooth all the way. The surface of the passageway is in part fine crushed rock, boardwalk (planks across).
- The route is at least 1.5 meters wide the entire way. The route is suitable for wheelchairs and strollers.
- The route has steep hills, the largest of which has 5 meters height difference from bottom to top (steepest angle of ascent 12 %).
- Next to the passage, there is at least one level difference causing a fall hazard, which is not bound by railings.
- Along the nature trail, there are rubbish bins and two rest stops with benches for taking a break. The benches are sized for adults.