Nature trails around Villa Elfvik
Nature House Villa Elfvik and its surrounding areas are a great hiking destination all year round. The nature trails provide information about the nature and history of the area for people of all ages.
The Laajalahti Nature Reserve is among the best bird wetlands in Southern Finland and also internationally renowned. It has been protected to provide nesting and resting places for birds. Metsähallitus is responsible for the nature reserve.
When moving along the shore in Laajalahti, you must stay on the trails, and must not pick plants or disturb animals. Lighting fires is forbidden in the area, and dogs must be kept leashed.
Nature trails
The Nature Sanctuary nature trail is 700 metres long and also accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs during snow-free times. The trail goes around in the old forest from Villa Elfvik to the shore and back to the nature house.
There are seven information boards along the trail, which tell about the history and nature of the area and the Laajalahti Nature Reserve. There is a section for young children at the bottom of the boards. In summer, cows graze on the meadows near the shore.
The birds of Laajalahti are presented in the boathouse by the shore, which you can visit during the opening hours of the nature house. The trail continues to a bird-watching tower with a lower platform that is also accessible for wheelchairs. The stone jetty and tables next to the bird-watching tower offer nice places to eat a packed lunch.
Along the path in a gazebo is the planet Uranus, which is part of the solar system model built by the Ursa Astronomical Association.
Downloadable files
Villa Elfvik’s tree species trail presents the trees and shrubs growing in the courtyard of the nature house and along the 700 metre long Nature Sanctuary trail. The trail is also accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs during snow-free times.
The tree species trail booklet presents rich drawings and descriptions in Finnish of 19 tree and shrub species growing in the area, both in summer and winter. The booklet also explains the significance of deadwood for the forest and the life cycle of trees.
The booklet gives the name of each species in Finnish, Latin and Swedish. The trees are marked in the terrain with nameplates, which also give the English name.
You can borrow the tree species trail booklet from Nature House Villa Elfvik.
This winter trail allows children to enter the world of the hare. Stories and games introduce children to the nightly adventures of the hare. Children find out why this nocturnal jumper eats its own droppings, how it misleads a fox and why it sleeps all day.
The trail is suitable for children under the age of 8 supervised by an adult and using a guidebook. The guidebook can be borrowed from Villa Elfvik. The trail is about 700 m long. Some of the tasks along the trail can only be done when there is snow on the ground. You can borrow a basket that contains equipment used during the trail and a laminated guidebook from Villa Elfvik. Please reserve the basket in advance.
Downloadable files
Welcome to the trail of the flying squirrel!(external link) The nature trail is available at Thinglink -platform.
The Väinö the Crow nature trail describes the life of Väinö the Crow in the nature around Villa Elfvik. Stories, games and sensory activities introduce children to the life of crows and the nature in the reserve. The trail is about 800 m long.
The trail is suitable for children under the age of 8 supervised by an adult and using a guidebook. You can read the guidebook in advance. The guidebook contains stories, games and tasks for the points along the trail, as well as a map. You can borrow a basket that contains equipment used during the trail and a laminated guidebook from Villa Elfvik. Please reserve the basket in advance.
Downloadable files
You can walk from Villa Elfvik to Otaniemi along a trail by the shore. The route follows the edge of the reeds on duckboards and a bicycle path at the end. The total length of the trail is about 3 km.
In summer, you can see cows grazing in the meadows. Mid-way along the trail, there is a viewing platform at the edge of a pasture. The Maari bird-watching tower in Otaniemi allows you to view the birds of Laajalahti comfortably in front light.
In Otaniemi, you can continue along the Rantaraitti waterfront walkway or head to the nearby Aalto University metro station or buses. You can find information on transport connections on the nationalparks.fi website
Check out before the trip
When wandering in nature, remember that nature is the home of animals and plants.
When wandering in nature, keep your senses sharp and your mind open.
You see, hear and smell more when you move peacefully and quietly.
A peaceful wanderer does not frighten those living in the forest.
Nature does not suffer harm when you move along trails.
Please do not rip off plants, polypores and moss. They are inhabitants of nature just as much as birds and squirrels.
Handle bugs carefully, so as not to harm them when studying them.
Do not litter. You can sort waste at the Nature House.
Nature is the best place for games and adventure.
You are always welcome to nature!
Contact our customer service when planning a group trip to Nature House Villa Elfvik.
The Nature House is located at the seaside, so the coolness of the air may surprise some. When the wind is heavy, it is advisable to avoid wandering in the forest, as there is a risk of trees falling.
Nature lover’s checklist
Before visiting, it is a good idea to read the Nature lover’s checklist together with children, which reminds all to respect and protect nature. The instructions apply to wandering in the Laajalahti nature reserve and elsewhere in nature.
Packed lunch
Eating your packed lunch is often the best moment on your trip. Good packed lunch includes proper sandwiches, fruit and root vegetables. Use a refillable bottle to store any drink. You may borrow the Nature House’s dishes, but arrangements for this should be made in advance. The area features outdoor tables where you can eat your packed lunch. On weekdays, you may also eat your own packed lunch in the café. At weekends and on midweek holidays, the café is open during the Nature House’s opening hours. Catering for large groups should be ordered in advance.
No-litter trips
While wandering in nature, do not litter, and take any packed lunch waste with you(external link) (link opens to the nationalparks.fi site). You can also sort all packed lunch waste at the Nature House.
Inside the Nature House
Use all your senses at the Long Live Espoo exhibition downstairs. Listen to birdsong, stroke a fox’s fur and peek into hatches. Examine small specimens of nature under a microscope. The Badger’s Forest upstairs is a no-shoes area to keep the carpets clean. You can leave your shoes at the top of the stairs. Elsewhere in the House, you are free to keep your shoes o
Laajalahti is one of the best bird wetlands within the Helsinki-Espoo-Vantaa metropolis. It is a fantastic place to observe birds both during migration and at other times. The nature reserve's trails and bird watching towers offer the perfect services for a day trip.
The area is managed by Metsähallitus: https://www.nationalparks.fi/laajalahti (external link)