Activities in Sipoonkorpi National Park

Sipoonkorpi National Park is a perfect place to escape the daily grind and the hustle and bustle of the city. The dark woods and many activities on offer make the park ideal for relaxing.

Walk on marked trails

There are three nature trails that are great for exploring the park's rich and varied woodland scenery and heritage landscapes.

Byabäcken's Nature Trail (1.4 km) introduces visitors to the lush forests and heritage landscapes of the valley of Byabäcken and the flora and fauna that have inhabited the area at different times. In the summer, horses and cows graze in the area and help keep the heritage landscape pristine. From Byabäcken´s Nature Trail you can also deviate about 100 meters to the Ängesböle campsite.

Kalkinpolttaja Trail (4.8 km) in Sotunki offers a more challenging walking experience. It takes you through dense woodland and rocky terrain to the agricultural landscape of the village of Sotunki in Vantaa and an old lime excavation site. The tallest point of Högberget hill offers views across the woods all the way to the Port of Vuosaari. There is a campfire site and a lean-to shelter along the trail.

Tasakallio-Storträsk (1 km one way) is challenging accessible nature trail with accessible fireplace, dry toilet and woodshed. The trail ends up to the beautiful Storträsk lake. 

 

Skiing

The tranquillity of the wooded wetland of Sipoonkorpi awaits skiers just a stone's throw away from the capital. The park has multiple maintained ski trails such as Lake Bisajärvi Trail and Hakunila–Bisajärvi Trail (vantaa.fi), which form a comprehensive network across Helsinki, Hakunila and Kuusijärvi in Vantaa as well as Sipoo and Kerava. The trails are suited for both classic cross-country skiing and free style skiing. The trails are maintained by local authorities and sports clubs. For more information, consult the map and up-to-date reports (mski.fi, In Finnish) on skiing conditions.

Geocaching

Geocaching is a fun and social way to explore Sipoonkorpi. There are geocaches throughout the park that can be found with the help of GPS or a smartphone and geocaching sites on the internet.

Other activities

  • Fishing:
  • Birdwatching: The valley of Byabäcken and the wooded areas around the village of Hindsby are great places for birdwatching both in the daytime and at night. Keep your eyes peeled for wood grouses and listen out for the Eurasian eagle-owl and other nocturnal birds.
  • Climbing: The steep rock face of Nuotiokallio offers physical challenges and glorious views for climbers.
  • Cycling / Mountain biking: Cycling is allowed on clearly visible tracks. Pay careful attention to other hikers. 
  • Guided group tours: There are numerous entrepreneurs offering guided tours in the park. Read more.
  • Hiking: Two-day hiking and skiing excursions are a great way to really explore the park's flora and fauna. You can bring your own tent and spend the night at the campfire site in Ängesböle or try the lean-to shelter along Kalkinpolttaja Trail.
  • Horse riding: Horse riding gives you a chance to see the park from a different perspective. There are no restrictions on horse riding in the area.
  • Pick berries and mushrooms: Get your local produce from Sipoonkorpi! On offer are treats such as bilberries (Vaccinium myrtillus), yellowfoot chanterelles, horns of plenty and hydnum mushrooms.
  • Sauna: There are traditional smoke saunas and modern electric saunas heated daily at Cafe Kuusijärvi (cafekuusijarvi.fi). Swimming year-round is also possible.
  • Sights and scenery: The heritage landscape of the old farming village of Byabäcken takes you back in time. Grazing horses and cows are an added bonus in the summer.