Karipolku

Karipolku hiking trail starts in Kilpipakka and ends at Vattajanniemi bathing area in Lohtaja. This trail, which is in year-round use, runs through pine heaths and along forest roads. Nature is constantly changing in this area. On the shallow coast, the impacts of land uplift following the most recent glacial period can be seen clearly. Evidence of land uplift includes fladas and gloes, or former bays which have lost their connection to the sea as the land rises. The land uplift forests in the dune area are diverse and rich in species. Many rare butterfly, plant and bird species thrive in this area.

Along the trail, hikers will find Maijanaro lean-to shelter and campfire site, Jussinpauha lean-to shelter and campfire site, and Karipolku birdwatching tower, which offers views across a nearby flada. Jussinpauha lean-to shelter is supplied with firewood which hikers must cut to suitable lengths. An axe and saw are provided for this purpose.

Visitors must consider the bird nesting season (from 15 April to 31 July) while hiking in the area. The trail is open all year round. The ski route that starts from the Erkkilä fitness track in Kilpipakka runs all the way to Ohtakari, partly along the Karipolku trail.

There is a swimming beach along the causeway leading to Ohtakari. The beach parking area has an information board with a map, and there is also an outhouse, a summer kiosk and the starting point of the Karipolku trail. The Vattaja birdwatching tower offers magnificent views over the sea. A dune nature trail maintained by Metsähallitus runs along the beach. Along the Karipolku trail, visitors will find two lean-to shelters, the birdwatching tower of Jussinpauha and the Vatunki nature trail.

Ohtakari’s services include a watchtower, nature trail, grill shelter, outhouses, a campsite run by the local parish, accommodation spaces, a summer kiosk and bar, a fishing museum and a fishing and guest port. The island has many summer houses, so remember to stay on the marked paths.

The sandy beaches of the Vattajanniemi cape are among the most significant representations of dune habitats in Northern Europe, and they form also the largest and most natural coastal dune area in Finland. The vast open, consistent sandy beach sweeps across more than 15 kilometres. The beach is guarded by open dunes covered with grass lyme, vast sand areas behind them, and almost grove-like, overgrown dunes, which together give the area a unique stamp. Most of the dune area is included in the Vattajanniemi Natura 2000 area and the FINIBA birdlife sites. Lake Vatunginjärvi is a restored gloe lake, where the water level has been raised by approximately one metre. Parts of the Vattaja coastal meadows and forests are managed through grazing. Vattaja and Ohtakari are located along the main migration route of many bird species, and the abundance of migrating birds in the area can be an impressive spectacle in the spring and autumn.