Day Trips into Nature: Nuuksio National Park from Helsinki

One of the pleasures of Helsinki is how quickly the city gives way to wilderness. Nuuksio National Park, in neighbouring Espoo to the north-west, lies less than an hour from the centre and offers a landscape of rugged forest, rocky hills and dozens of small lakes that feels a world away from the harbour and the trams.

The park is part of a broad forest area and is managed as a protected national park, with marked trails of varying lengths radiating from its main entry points. Shorter loops suit families and casual walkers, while longer routes reward those willing to venture deeper into the pine and spruce forest. Boardwalks cross the boggy sections, and lean-to shelters and campfire sites are dotted along the way for a rest or a picnic.

Nuuksio is also home to the Finnish Nature Centre Haltia, a visitor centre that introduces Finnish nature and the country's national parks and makes a good orientation point before setting out. From there, the network of trails is clearly signposted, and free trail maps help first-time visitors choose a route that matches their time and fitness.

Reaching the park without a car takes a little planning but is entirely feasible. The usual approach combines a local train or metro with a connecting bus toward the park entrances; the national parks service publishes current public transport guidance, which is worth checking before you travel, as bus frequencies vary by season. Once there, everything is on foot.

Whatever the season, come prepared: waterproof footwear, water and a windproof layer are sensible, and in summer insect repellent is welcome. Finland's right of public access allows walking, and picking berries and mushrooms, across much of the countryside, but within a national park visitors are asked to keep to marked trails in sensitive areas and to carry out all litter. For anyone wanting to understand why Finns speak of the forest as a second home, a day in Nuuksio is the clearest possible answer.

The park is open all year, and each season offers something different: wildflowers and long daylight in summer, vivid colour during the autumn ruska, and snow-covered trails suited to snowshoeing or cross-country skiing in winter. Wildlife is present but discreet, and the elusive Siberian flying squirrel is among the species the area is known for, though sightings are rare. Whatever the time of year, checking the weather and daylight hours before setting out is sensible, since conditions and the length of the day change dramatically across the Finnish seasons.