Everyday luxury in Nuuksio

The Principal of Leppävaaran koulu, Ritva Mickelsson, has enjoyed the gorgeous nature of Nuuksio for 25 years.

The national park and Finnish Nature Centre Haltia have made Nuuksio a popular hiking and visiting destination, but there are, of course, long-term residents in Nuuksio as well.

Ritva Mickelsson has lived in a detached house in Vanha-Nuuksio’s Brobacka for 25 years. There is a horse stable in the yard, and a couple of hectares of land where the horses can roam freely.

“Nuuksio is downright addictive – people might end up moving here by accident, but few want to leave. It would be difficult to find another place that offers everything we have here in Nuuksio: the great outdoors right at your doorstep and the best parts of a small village – here, you are far enough away yet close enough to everything,” she says.

The most important thing in Nuuksio is the nature.

“Studies show that spending time in the forest is calming, and I couldn’t agree more. My work is about constantly interacting with people; there are a lot of things to do and I’m always very busy. It’s a privilege to be able to relax in the forest with my dogs every day. I should remember to be more thankful for it.”

You also get used to the fact that shops and services are a bit further away.

“In this lifestyle, you learn to anticipate and grab a shovel when necessary. Neighbours are also always ready to lend a helping hand.”

One thing to keep in mind is that traffic is busy during good weather because the only route to the national park goes through the village.“There’s room in the forest, but I would like as many people as possible to come here by bus.”

Originally, the main reason Mickelsson moved to Nuuksio was the opportunity to keep her horse in a stable at home. Now, her stable has four of her own horses and three of her friends’ horses in three sizes: horses, ponies and miniature horses that are only 78 centimetres tall.

“Sometimes I put the mini horses in the car and take them to school for events like team-building days for seventh graders. The animals bring pupils closer together and get them chatting. If the pupils need more help getting to know each other, they can also come to the stable.”

Mickelsson has written a doctoral thesis on pedagogical interventions promoting the well-being of pupils with special educational needs. She is also an expert member of the Finnish Parliament’s working group for animal-assisted activities.

“There is research-based evidence that shows animal-assisted work supports people’s well-being,” she says.

•  A district in northwest Espoo.
• Swedish name: Noux.
• Nuuksio has been a seven-house Finnish-language village since the 1500s.
• An area with lots of forests and very few planned areas.
• The Brobacka area was made part of Nupuri in the 1982 district division. However, the area was part of Nuuksio in terms of its identity, and at the request of its residents, the area was separated into its own district and named Vanha-Nuuksio in 1999.
• The Nuuksio-Nupuri area had 2,192 residents at the end of 2023.
   

Text: Katariina Krabbe, video: Tero Ikäheimonen.

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