The crown jewel of Suvisaaristo

Pentala Island, a valuable site for recreation and conservation, offers a rich blend of culture, history and nature. The island is home to tall cliffs, forests, a beach, a lake with an island, marshlands, meadows, and an idyllic fishing village that has been made into a museum. 

The 130-hectare Pentala is one of the largest islands in Suvisaaristo, Espoo, and it was opened to the public in 2018. 

Because Pentala was relatively undisturbed for a long time, it has retained its original natural beauty. Half of the island is a nature reserve, mostly concentrated in the central part of the island. 

“The island has real natural assets, like rocky pine forests with their pristine carpets of lichen, rare natural beach-side meadows, marshlands and open bogs,” says Katrin Aia, Environmental Planner at the City of Espoo.  

One remarkable location in Pentala is Lake Pentalanjärvi, which has its own island.

You can get to the lakeside by following a 2.3-kilometre hiking trail. Along the way, you will see many signposts highlighting interesting archipelago sights. Some parts of the trail are difficult to traverse, so the trail is not suitable for people with limited mobility. 

The hiking trail leads to the sandy Diksand beach at the northeastern end of the island. The beach is a protected habitat and particularly sensitive to disturbance and erosion.  

In addition to its natural values, the island also features a significant cultural heritage site – an old fishing village. The buildings and courtyard of the museum area teach visitors how fishermen used to live.  

Pentala is a perfect day trip destination, where you can enjoy a relaxed summer day exploring nature and history.  

• only move about on pre-made paths and hiking trails to avoid damaging the island’s delicate undergrowth. 
• take any rubbish back with you. Waste management only operates in the island’s museum area. 
• check yourself for ticks at the end of the trip. Pentala, like the rest of the archipelago, is home to ticks. 
• The Pentala Archipelago Museum will reopen on 1 June 2025. 
• The island is accessible by a boat service operating during the summer months from Soukka, Suinonsalmi and Suomenoja.  More information about scheduled archipelago boats.
   

Text: Minna Saano.
 

This article was originally published in the Espoo-lehti magazine 1/2025. Read other articles in the Espoo-lehti.