Hiking areas, tracks and nature trails

Isokari island, also known as Friisinsaari, is located on the southwest coast of the Ykspihlajanlahti bay. The total size of the island is 5.4 hectares. It is a historically significant destination and a popular recreational area and hiking site.

Nature trail

The nature trail (0.8 km) starts from the parking area located at the end of the road that circles the island. The trail winds its way around the island deep in the groves and forests, and it is partially suitable for persons with disabilities (wheelchair ramp). There are information boards along the trail introducing visitors to the history and nature of the island, and there is also a lookout point and a rest area.

Services

The birdwatching tower is located at the end of the causeway leading to the island, and it is a great place to observe the surrounding sea areas. There is a parking area next to the tower. There is also an information board and a map of the area by the road.

Nature

Isokari island is mostly covered with broadleaved deciduous trees. There is a large erratic bolder on the south-western beach. The island’s nature is dominated by the sea and lush grove-like forests. There are rocky coastal meadows on the northern shore. The island with its birdwatching tower offers visitors a great place to observe the birds at the Ykspihlajanlahti bay all year round.

The Laajalahti bay is located on the coast of Lake Öjanjärvi. This bird wetland belongs to the Natura 2000 network and covers an area of 266 hectares. With their swimming beaches and fitness tracks, Laajalahti and Hietanokka are among the most popular recreational destinations in Kokkola. The area is open to visitors all year round. In the winter, there is a ski trail that runs all the way to Koivuhaka. Visitors can move freely in the area under the Finnish everyman’s rights, while keeping in mind the restrictions in force at the swimming beach. Please consider the bird nesting season (from 15 April to 31 July) while hiking in the area.

Nature trail

The nature trail (3.5 km) starts near the parking area. The trail winds its way through the coastal groves and along duckboards among the shoreline reedbeds. Along the trail, visitors will find information about nature in the area, a tower and a hideout for birdwatching, an observation platform and a campfire site.

Services

There is a shallow, child-friendly swimming beach in Hietanokka. The trail to the Hietanokka birdwatching tower is marked all the way from the parking area. The beach has a grill shelter, changing rooms and waste management services in the summertime.

Nature

In terms of landscape and vegetation, the area is a significant entity due to its pine forests, fossil sand dunes, sandy beaches, alder groves and vast coastal meadows. The area included in the Natura 2000 network consists mostly of water and shore nature and of coastal forests. The bay area is inhabited by one of the most versatile selection of bird species in the region. The Finnish Metsähallitus manages approximately 40 hectares of coastal meadows through grazing.

Lake Ullavanjärvi is a beautiful lake of around 15 square kilometres in the eastern part of Kokkola. The lake and the road network around it offer great recreational opportunities, including cycling, hiking, winter camping, canoeing, boating and fishing.

Services

There are several swimming beaches, boat ramps, canoe launch sites and accommodation choices on the lakeshores. In the winter, there are ski tracks of varying lengths on the icy lake, depending on the snow conditions. Visitors have a Lappish kota hut at their disposal on the Koirakari island. There is also a nature trail in the Haapamaa area, in the northern part of the lake.

Nature

Lake Ullavanjärvi is a shallow and nutrient-rich lake. The average depth of the lake is only 1.5 metres. There are several islands in the lake, and many of the bays are covered with lush vegetation and are partly overgrown. The Hanhilahti bay area is part of the national bird wetland protection programme, and it is one of the most versatile nesting areas for waterfowl and gull species in Kokkola. The rest of the lake is also rich in birdlife. The water surface was elevated in 2010 to create more open water areas and increase the depth of the lake, with the aim of improving the conditions for recreational use.

The Perhonjoki hiking trail (13.2 km) is located east of Kokkola. The trail runs between Vitsari and Lahnakoski in a beautiful and diverse forest and river scenery. There is a connecting route (4.5 km) to Köykärinmäki and to the hiking trails of Oivu and Sokoja. The trail is open all year round, and it is frequently used by, for example, hikers, skiers and fishermen.

Services

Along the route, you will find the Haapkoski lean-to shelter, the Vessi campfire site and the Lappish kota huts of Isokoski and Äijänsaari. For canoeists, the route offers the Lahnakoski, Vitsari, Isokoski and Äijänsaari launching and landing sites.

Nature

The landscape around the hiking trail consists of deciduous forests, riverbeds, lush spruce forests, aspen forests, rocky pine forests, flood meadows and wetland areas. The flood meadow of Isosaari (39 ha) is one of the protected areas in the Natura 2000 network. The area is rich in bird, mammal and fish species. Extensive ecological restoration work has been carried out in the lower reaches of River Perhonjoki to provide migratory fish species (whitefish, sea trout, Atlantic salmon, river lamprey) with better spawning grounds.

The bird wetland and nature trail of Rummelö-Harrbåda are located on the shore of the Kaustarinlahti bay, just a few kilometres from the Kokkola city centre. The bird wetland covers an area of 236 hectares, and it is part of the Natura 2000 network in Finland. The bird nesting season (from 15 April to 31 July) must be considered while hiking in the area, and visitors must stick to the marked routes. In the summer, the area is used as a grazing pasture.

Services

The nature trail starts from the yard area of Youth Centre Villa Elba. Villa Elba operates also a café and offers accommodation services. Along the trail, visitors will find the two birdwatching towers of Harrbåda and Rummelö and a birdwatching platform. The birdwatching tower of Villa Elba is suited also to persons with disabilities. A trail (700 m) suitable for wheelchairs and strollers starts from the parking area of Villa Elba. There are information boards in the area with maps of the routes and destinations.

Nature

The area is characterised by shallow water areas, sludge shores, vast coastal meadows, reedbeds and lush deciduous forests. The different plant zones of coastal land uplift areas are well represented. The cape of Harrbåda is the northernmost visible part of an esker range that is over 200 kilometres long. The greatest environmental value of the area stems from its rich birdlife. The area is a popular resting area for migrating birds, especially for different waterfowl and wader species.

The hiking area of Santahaka-Harriniemi is located on the north-western side of the city centre. The area consists mostly of accessible, pine-dominated esker terrain, dotted with damp spruce thickets. The area is a versatile destination for all nature enthusiasts throughout the year.

Vanhan Kallen kinttupolku

A narrow path known as Vanhan Kallen kinttupolku, or old Kalle’s trail, starts from the Santahaka parking area and ends at the Harriniemi lighthouse. The trail is 4.6 kilometres long in one direction. At Harriniemi, the trail connects to the Rummelö-Harrbåda nature trail. The trail runs through old pine heaths, lush spruce forests and, once in Harriniemi, open sand areas and dunes, and there is also a birdwatching tower along the way.

Santahaka fitness track and ski trails

The fitness trails are open all year round. In the winter, there are over 10 kilometres of ski trails in Santahaka, six kilometres of which are illuminated. The ski trails run all the way to Harriniemi and Villa Elba.

Services

There is a parking area and information boards with maps in both Santahaka and Harriniemi. A birdwatching tower can be found near the Harriniemi lighthouse. Santahaka has a lean-to shelter and a campfire site. Villa Elba offers high-quality accommodation, a café and a birdwatching tower suitable for persons with physical disabilities.

Nature

The bird wetland of Rummelö-Harrbåda is a great place to observe a wide variety of waterfowl and wader species. The area of Hyytiäisenmäki is an old cultural environment, and there are lush grey alder groves in the surroundings of Tulliperä. The traditional rural biotope of Hyytiäisenmäki is maintained through mowing and occasional land clearing.

The Sokoja hiking trail (10.5 km) and the ancient Oivu trail (6.5 km) are located in the southern part of Kokkola. The trails are open all year round.

Sokoja hiking trail

The trail starts at the Sokoja football field, winding its way along the rolling forests and cultural landscapes. There are two Lappish kota huts, a campfire site and an outhouse on the shore of the Lillpotten pond. The trail is connected to the ancient trail of Oivu.

Oivu ancient trail

The starting point of the trail is located in Oivu. The trail runs through an area with fascinating culture-historical value. One of the largest erratic boulders in Kokkola, Bjonstenen, is found along the trail. The ancient trail of Oivu is connected to the Sokoja hiking trail, and there is a connecting route (4.5 km) to the trails at River Perhonjoki.

The lighthouse island of Tankar is situated near the open sea, about 15 kilometres northwest of the port of Kokkola. Tankar (approximately 22 ha) is the northernmost wooded island in the Kokkola-Pietarsaari archipelago, and it is included in the Natura 2000 network as a part of the Luoto Archipelago. The island is owned by the City of Kokkola, and its southern part is protected as a nature conservation area. Island visitors must keep to the marked paths and duckboards and avoid moving on the rocks and cliffs in the northern part of the island during the bird nesting season (from 15 April to 31 July).

Nature trail

A marked nature trail of 1.5 kilometres starts at the guest marina. Along the trail, visitors will find the lighthouse, bird station, birdwatching tower and information boards about the island nature.

Services

During the summer season, a water shuttle takes visitors to the island from the Suntinsuu camping area (the trip takes about n.1.5 hours). Book your tickets with Kokkola Tourism Ltd. Café Tankar operates on the island in the summertime, and a lean-to shelter, outhouses, accommodation spaces, a church and a sauna are also available. The island has a guest marina and a seal hunting museum. Services for persons with physical disabilities are available near the marina. Waste management services are available in the summer.

Nature

The surface area of the island is growing constantly, and the vegetation is changing in the pace of the gradual land uplift (about 8 mm/year). The lush groves, open juniper and crowberry fields, barren rocks, rock pools, sea buckthorn bushes, meadows and the cultural landscape formed by island living make this island the most valuable site in the Kokkola archipelago. The island is also rich in different plant and bird species. There is also a bird station operating on the island, where birds are tagged in the spring and autumn.

The cape of Trullevi is situated on the northern side of the city. The Trullevi hiking trail (12.9 km) runs in a diverse forest landscape across the cape. The trail is open all year round.

Services

The services in Trullevi include the Vasikkasaari campsite, the Rastimaja ski hut owned by the ski association Kokkolan Latu, and a fishing port with a birdwatching tower, campfire site, boat ramp and outhouse. Rastimaja and the Lappish kota hut next to it are open on weekends during the skiing season. There are two swimming beaches in the area with information boards, changing rooms, outhouses and waste management services. You will find a lean-to shelter at the Valkohieta beach and a campfire site on the Punakallio beach.

Nature

Trullevi is an approximately five-kilometre long, narrow cape that once rose from the sea. There are valuable nature sites in the area, such as an ancient shore stone field and coastal meadows and flads formed as a result of the land uplift. The coastal lake Nisulanpotti is a popular nesting area among the local birdlife. Trullevi is also home to many animal species such as seals, flying squirrels and hedgehogs.

The scenic Vattajanniemi cape in Lohtaja, and the Ohtakari island at the tip of the cape, offer diverse services to visitors all year round. You can move freely in the Vattaja area under the Finnish everyman’s rights, but pay attention to the Finnish Defence Forces’ shooting practices, the related warnings and the designated danger zones. To check for possible restrictions on moving in the area, see the information boards along the roads or the website of the Finnish Defence Forces. Visitors must also take the bird nesting season (from 15 April to 31 July) and the grazing areas on the island into consideration while moving in the area.

Karipolku trail and ski route

The Karipolku trail (7.3 km) starts from the swimming beach and ends in Kilpipakka, close to the Erkkilä fitness track. The trail runs across pine heaths and along forest roads. There are two lean-to shelters and a birdwatching tower along the trail. Visitors must consider the bird nesting season (from 15 April to 31 July) while hiking in the area. The trail is open all year round. The ski route that starts from the Erkkilä fitness track in Kilpipakka runs all the way to Ohtakari, partly along the Karipolku trail.

Services

There is a swimming beach along the causeway leading to Ohtakari. The beach parking area has an information board with a map, and there is also an outhouse, a summer kiosk and the starting point of the Karipolku trail. The Vattaja birdwatching tower offers magnificent views over the sea. A dune nature trail maintained by Metsähallitus runs along the beach. Along the Karipolku trail, visitors will find two lean-to shelters, the birdwatching tower of Jussinpauha and the Vatunki nature trail.

Ohtakari’s services include a watchtower, nature trail, grill shelter, outhouses, a campsite run by the local parish, accommodation spaces, a summer kiosk and bar, a fishing museum and a fishing and guest port. The island has many summer houses, so remember to stay on the marked paths.

The Lahdenkrooppi watchtower, built by the Finnish Defence Forces, can be found in the southern part of the area, and it is a great birdwatching site. There is also a lean-to shelter and a marked parking area in Lahdenkrooppi.

Nature

The sandy beaches of the Vattajanniemi cape are among the most significant representations of dune habitats in Northern Europe, and they form also the largest and most natural coastal dune area in Finland. The vast open, consistent sandy beach sweeps across more than 15 kilometres. The beach is guarded by open dunes covered with grass lyme, vast sand areas behind them, and almost grove-like, overgrown dunes, which together give the area a unique stamp. Most of the dune area is included in the Vattajanniemi Natura 2000 area and the FINIBA birdlife sites. Lake Vatunginjärvi is a restored gloe lake, where the water level has been raised by approximately one metre. Parts of the Vattaja coastal meadows and forests are managed through grazing. Vattaja and Ohtakari are located along the main migration route of many bird species, and the abundance of migrating birds in the area can be an impressive spectacle in the spring and autumn.

The hiking trails of Öja run along paths and small roads amidst a diverse seashore, lake, forest and swamp scenery. In Öja, 435 hectares of land are included in the Finnish mire protection programme and the Natura 2000 network.

Öja archipelago trail and Håkin lenkki trail

The starting points of the Öja archipelago trail (21 km) and the Håkin lenkki trail (12 km) are located on the parking area of the Långö swimming beach. There is an information board and a map at the starting point of the trail. The two trails provide visitors with an abundance of interesting nature sites, such as flad and gloe lakes, mire conservation areas, different forests and rocks. Attractions along the archipelago trail include a military rest cabin, the Lappish kota hut of Korvgräven, the Kalvholmen wilderness hut and a lookout/birdwatching tower.

Knivsund hiking trail

The Knivsund hiking trail (10 km) starts from outside the Öja-Market village store. The trail introduces visitors to the nature and history of the area, including an old brick factory and a hole in the ground known as “Furu-ukon kuoppa”. There is also a lean-to shelter at the Långviken beach.

Services

The Långö swimming beach has a grill shelter, tables and benches, changing rooms, an outhouse and waste management services in the summer. There is also a historical cottage/fishing museum at the beach. Café Bryggan offers guest harbour services and operates a summer café.