Uutela outdoor recreation area

Kota (sheltered fire pit) 

You can grill your own food at the Uutela kota. Volunteers keep the kota open on the weekends and tend to the fire.  

Uutela kota on the map. (Link leads to external service)

Operating hours organised by kota volunteers (Facebook page)(Link leads to external service)

Cooking shelters and campfire sites  

Uutela has two self-service cooking shelters with flues, which you can use to grill. Bring your own wood or charcoal. Building a fire outside the cooking shelters is prohibited. 

Cooking Shelter Nuottaniemi, location on the map(Link leads to external service) 

Cooking Shelter Niemenpaja, location on the map (Link leads to external service)

Café Kampela  

Café Kampela is located in the corner of Uutela, between Aurinkolahti beach and the Vuosaari sport fishing association’s (Vuosaaren Urheilukalastajat) boat docks.  

Café Kampela (in Finnish)(Link leads to external service)

Toilet  

An Accessible Helsinki outhouse is located next to the Uutela kota (sheltered fire pit) in Särkkäniemi. A portable toilet is located next to the allotment garden plots in Halkullanniemi (Halkullanniemi 8). 

Helsinki outhouse, location on the map(Link leads to external service)

Fishing 

Uutela is a popular fishing destination 

Helsinki fishing areas and restrictions on the map. (Link leads to external service)

Villa Vuosanta 

Villa Vuosanta is a seaside venue for parties and meetings that also rents its sauna facilities.   

Villa Vuosanta (vuosanta.info)(Link leads to external service)

Historical sites 

There are sea fortifications from the First World War in Skatanniemi, Uutela.  The route to the tip of Skatanniemi runs through the fortified area.  

View the Secret Skatanniemi checkpoints(Link leads to external service) 

Grazing  

Grazing will start in Uutela in 2023 as part of the OmaStadi project.   

“Grazing at Uutela recreation area” project(Link leads to external service)

Allotment garden  

Uutela’s allotment garden is rented to Helsinki’s Adult Education Institute’s student union (Helsingin työväenopiston opistolaisyhdistys ry). The student union organises the allotment garden activities at Uutela’s Halkullanniemi.   

Halkullanniemi allotment garden, location on the map  (Link leads to external service)

Meriharju Nature House 

The educational centre is primarily intended for use by Helsinki’s youth organisations. The premises are also rented to other organisations and individuals.

Meriharju Nature House (nuorten.hel.fi) (Link leads to external service)

Meriharju Nature House, location on the map   (Link leads to external service) 

Skata Farm  

The Finnish Blue Ribbon’s Vihreä Veräjä (green gate) rents Skata Farm in Särkkäniemi, which is owned by the City of Helsinki. 

Vihreä veräjä, website (Link leads to external service)

Uutela has old, natural forests, tall outcrops, and thickets of forested bogs. On the eastern side, in Särkkäniemi, there are meadows and ponds that have been cut off from the sea – or gloes. There are two swamps in the middle of the forests in the northern part. You can see bays and the Sipoo archipelago from the shores. A magnificent view of the sea opens from the tip of Skatanniemi.

Uutela's nature reserves

There are many nature reserves in the Uutela outdoor recreation area.  The use of these areas is restricted by law to protect nature.  Read more about the restrictions in Rules and recommendations.

View Uutela’s nature reserves on the map(Link leads to external service)

The Citynature website highlights Uutela’s nature 

Learn more about Uutela’s nature and history.  

Uutela’s destination page (citynature.eu) 

Uutelan kohdesivu (citynature.eu)(Link leads to external service)

Uutela’s species observations  

The iNaturalist app lets you easily record species observations on your phone. You can identify species with help from AI and other app users. Confirmed sightings are stored by the Finnish Biodiversity Information Facility to serve researchers, authorities and nature enthusiasts.  

Uutela’s species observations in iNaturalist (in Finnish)(Link leads to external service)

Uutela’s species observations in the laji.fi database (Link leads to external service)

Rules and regulations for nature reserves 

There are many nature reserves in the Uutela outdoor recreation area.  The use of these areas is restricted by law to protect nature.  View Uutela’s nature reserves on the map (Link leads to external service)

Observe the following rules on Uutela’s nature reserves: 

• Do not let dogs, cats or other pets roam free 
• Do not build fires, grill or camp  
• Do not damage plants, fungi or lichens 
• Do not use motor vehicles. You may use electric assistive devices on Uutela’s trails (applies to people with disabilities). 
• Do not disturb wildlife or destroy nests  
• You can pick edible mushrooms and berries 

For the Särkkäniemi nature reserve, please also note the following rules:  

• do not leave the trails between April 1st and August 1st 
• do not ride a bike off-trail 
• do not dig for bait worms 
• do not fish outside of designated areas for fishing 
• orienteering and cross-country competitions and training are prohibited 

See all the conservation rules for all of Uutela’s nature reserves  

• Decision to protect the Uutela forest nature reserve (pdf, in Finnish)(Link leads to external service) 
• Decision to protect the Rudträsk nature reserve (pdf, in Finnish)(Link leads to external service)
• Decision to protect the Särkkäniemi nature reserve (pdf, in Finnish, not accessible)(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)(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)

You can also easily get around Uutela’s outdoor trails by bike and with prams. There is a fairly steep hill at the beginning of the coastal trail from the Uutelantie intersection. The outdoor trails have no lighting or winter maintenance. 

The accessibility information for services at Uutela is still incomplete. Here you will find the links to the accessibility information for services once we have mapped the data.