What does Meri-Rastila and Ramsinniemi offer?
You can enjoy the hiking trails of Meri-Rastila on foot and by bicycle in the summer and by skiing in the winter. There are narrower forest paths in the Ramsinniemi area.
Meri-Rastila hiking trail and ski trail
The 2.6 km long Meri-Rastila hiking trail makes a ring in the Meri-Rastila forest. The route goes by the Meri-Rastila cooking shelter, outdoor exercise area and the ancient beach rock. In the winter season, there are skiing tracks on the Meri-Rastila hiking trail. The route is illuminated and has elevation differences.
Meri-Rastila hiking trail 2.6 km(Link leads to external service)
Meri-Rastila skiing trail 2.6 km(Link leads to external service)
Eastern waterfront trail
The 23-kilometre-long Eastern waterfront trail circles Vartiokylänlahti and Meri-Rastila along the coastline. There are orange route markings and information boards with maps along the route. The eastern waterfront trail ends in Uutela.
Eastern waterfront trail on the map(Link leads to external service)
Nature and culture walking trail in Vartiokylänlahti
The Association for Nature Conservation in Helsinki has planned a walking route that traverses both the Meri-Rastila and Ramsinniemi forest areas in Vartiokylänlahti. The points along the nature and culture walking trail in Vartiokylänlahti can be found in the pdf guide prepared by the association.
Nature and culture walking trail in Vartiokylänlahti on the map(Link leads to external service)
Paths in nature reserves
You can explore the protected Rastila bog near the Ramsinniementie road by walking along the duckboards. In addition to forest paths, the trails in the nature reserve of the Ramsinniemi herb-rich forest feature some duckboards. Walking outside the trails is prohibited in the Ramsinniemi herb-rich forest. Stay on marked trails to protect delicate nature.
Food stops and cafés
The atmospheric Rastila manor is located between the wooded hiking trails of Meri-Rastila and Vartiokylänlahti. The manor houses the café and lunch restaurant Cafe Monami. Restaurant Furu at hotel Rantapuisto is located next to Ramsinniementie.
Cafe Monami, Rastila Manor(Link leads to external service)
Restaurant Furu, Hotel Rantapuisto(Link leads to external service)
Cooking shelters and fire places
Meri-Rastila has one fire place that is available for hikers. Please bring your own charcoal or wood with you. Fire making outside the fire place is prohibited.
Meri-Rastila fire place, location on the map(Link leads to external service)
Toilets
There are no toilets or dry toilets in the Meri-Rastila forest area. The nearest toilets can be found at the café and restaurant. Dry toilets at the Meri-Rastila beach are in use during the summer season.
The forest areas of Meri-Rastila and Ramsinniemi are easy to reach by metro, whether you are coming for a jog, mushroom picking, skiing or relaxing on a picnic trip to view the sea scenery.
Rastila Beach
There are some outdoor exercise equipment and children’s play equipment at the Rastila beach. The beach also has saunas that can be rented and that are occasionally open to the public. Helsingin latu maintains a winter swimming spot at the end of the swimming pier, available for the organisation’s winter swimmers.
Rastila Camping, sauna reservations (Link leads to external service)
Helsingin latu, winter swimming in Rastila (Link leads to external service)
Vuosaari kayaking centre
The services of Natura Viva allow you to explore the area by water.
Natura Viva, Vuosaari kayaking centre (Link leads to external service)
Fishing
Ramsinniemi fishing spot on the map (Link leads to external service)
Fishing areas and restrictions in Helsinki (kartta.hel.fi)(Link leads to external service)
Ancient beach and boulder
There is a geologically valuable attraction along the Meri-Rastila hiking trail, the approximately 7,000-year-old coastal rock that dates back to the era of the Littorina Sea. The ancient beach consists of large boulders and rounded stones that are about 20–80 cm in diameter.
You can find a large boulder near an ancient beach along a forest path. The dimensions of the angular boulder are 7 x 6 x 3.5 m.
Geological sites in Meri-Rastila and Ramsinniemi on the map(Link leads to external service)
Meri-Rastila urban nature trail
Explore Meri-Rastila and Ramsinniemi along the urban nature trail. The urban nature trail is a walking trail that runs among both residential and forest areas.
Meri-Rastila urban nature trail (vuosaari.fi)(Link leads to external service)
Rastila Camping
Rastila Camping is located in the immediate vicinity of Rastila Beach and Vartiokylänlahti. The hiking trail around Vartiokylänlahti is directly linked to the routes in the Meri-Rastila forest. Rastila Manor is one of the services of the camping site. The manor houses the café and lunch restaurant Cafe Monami.
Rastila Camping (Link leads to external service)
Cafe Monami (Link leads to external service)
Hotel Rantapuisto
Hotel Rantapuisto is located by the sea near the Ramsiniementie road, which connects Meri-Rastila and Ramsinniemi. The hotel and its restaurants serve both hotel guests and day visitors.
The Meri-Rastila forest area has two rather rugged and rocky pine forests. There are more lush areas among the rocks, home to vegetation such as sundews and calla. The spruce-dominated forests are sloped towards Vartiokylänlahti. The forest has places with a lot of decaying wood, which makes it a valuable polypore area. Nesting birds in the area include the crested tit and the willow tit.
The Ramsinniemi nature reserve includes both herb-rich forests and more shady spruce-dominated forest. In the spring, blue anemones bloom and ostrich ferns reach towards the sky in the forest. The southeast shore has a view towards the sea and the Malkasaari island.
There are two nature reserves in the Meri-Rastila and Ramsinniemi area, the Rastila bog and the Ramsinniemi herb-rich forest. In order to protect nature, the use of the areas has been restricted through statutory protection regulations. See the rules and recommendations for the area.
Nature reserves in Meri-Rastila and Ramsinniemi on a map(Link leads to external service)
Species observations in Meri-Rastila and Ramsinniemi
The iNaturalist application allows you to easily record your species observations on your phone. The artificial intelligence and other application users can help you to identify the species. The confirmed observations are recorded at the Finnish Biodiversity Information Facility (FinBIF), where they serve researchers, authorities and nature enthusiasts.
Species observations in Meri-Rastila (laji.fi)(Link leads to external service)
Species observations in Ramsinniemi (laji.fi) (Link leads to external service)
Rules and regulations for nature reserves
There are two nature reserves in the Meri-Rastila and Ramsinniemi area. Nature reserves, location on the map (Link leads to external service)
Please observe the following rules in the nature reserves of Meri-Rastila and Ramsinniemi
- Do not let dogs, cats or other pets roam free.
- Do not make a fire, barbecue, or camp.
- Do not damage the plants, fungi or lichens.
- Do not move outside the marked trails in the Rastila bog or in the protected herb-rich forest of Ramsinniemi.
- Do not pick edible mushrooms or berries in the protected herb-rich forest of Ramsinniemi. Picking mushrooms and berries is allowed in other parts of the protected area.
- Do not use motorised vehicles.
- Do not ride a mountain bike in the Rastila bog.
- Do not disturb wildlife or damage nests.
See all protection regulations for nature reserves
- Protection decision for the Ramsinniemi herb-rich forest (pdf, inaccessible) (Link leads to external service)
- Protection decision for the Rastila bog (pdf, inaccessible)(Link leads to external service)
General rules
In all outdoor recreation areas, observe everyman’s rights and rules and move responsibly in nature:
Both the Meri-Rastila hiking trail and the Ramsinniementie road that leads to Ramsinniemi have height differences. The Meri-Rastila hiking trail is lit. During the skiing season, the hiking trail is reserved for skiing. Links to accessibility information will be available here when the analysis is completed.
Services of the outdoor recreation area on the map
The Eastern waterfront trail of Helsinki runs through the Meri-Rastila forest area. In winter, there is a skiing track on the hiking trails.
