The best traffic-free bike rides around Vantaa

The Kuusijärvi bridge, Sudentassu, was completed in December 2019 and connects the Kuusijärvi nature and recreation area and the Sipoonkorvi National Park. The Sudentassu bridge is 20 meters high, has a width of five meters and a length of 126 meters. The Sudentassu bridge leads the traveler from one cliff to another and allows easy access to the Sipoonkorvi wilderness. The Sudentassu bridge is about 1 km from the Kuusijärvi parking area. Source& Additional Info: https://www.vantaa.fi/fi/palveluhakemisto/toimipiste/kuusijärven-silta-sudentassu

High plateau with beautiful views over the area.

Hardpack gravel with small rolling hills.

Kuusijärvi is home to the only smoke saunas in the Helsinki Metropolitan area. In winter, the swimming takes on a more daring aspect, when you can try a spot of ice swimming. There's a cafe and restaurant, serving all manner of burgers and platters for that all-important refuel.

Fungi are fungi whose mycelium hides inside trees or in the ground. Most fungi are decomposers. Over decades, they slowly break down dead wood back into nutrients in the soil that plants can utilize. This keeps the nutrient cycle going and keeps the forest alive and diverse. Different species of fungi need wood of different ages, and some need specific tree species. Many fungi also cooperate with living trees, exchanging water and nutrients for the trees' photosynthesis products. The decaying wood softened by fungi provides nesting and feeding places for many insects, birds and small mammals. Decaying wood is deliberately left in the Central Park to safeguard biodiversity. Old forests are a particularly important habitat for numerous endangered animal and plant species. That is why forest ecologists are particularly interested in fungi, which tell us about the inhabitants of the forest and its conservation value more broadly. Over 70 different species of sedge have been found in Maunulan Park – more than a quarter of all known sedge species in Finland. Source and more info: https://vihreatsylit.fi/maunulan-luontopolku/

The plots are used to grow a wide variety of vegetables, herbs, flowers and berries organically. Food grown by yourself retains all the vitamins. The farmer can enjoy the wonder of growth and know what he is putting in his mouth. Compost recycles the nutrients from garden waste back into the plot, and green manure brings new growth power to the land. The ecological footprint of food production is reduced. Urban farming is very popular, but there are not enough plots for everyone. Maunula's spacious yards could easily be used for farming, even in planters. All you need is a decision from the housing association and a couple of enthusiastic neighbors. Source: https://vihreatsylit.fi/maunulan-luontopolku/

Plot farming is a tradition in Helsinki that dates back over 100 years. There are 39 plot areas in the city, which are rented by district or plot farming associations. Adjacent plots are rented by the Maunulanpuisto Plot Farmers Association. Plots are usually 50–100 m² in size. You can walk freely in the corridors between the plots and admire the vegetable gardens of the hardworking farmers. However, the plots are private property: you are not allowed to enter them or take anything from them.

Thanks to restoration work, the water in this Haaganpuro stream is clearer than before. The stream's biodiversity is rich and diverse. Rare sea trout come up from the sea here and up into the Maunulapuro stream to spawn. In winter, the graceful white-tailed deer fish dives from the bottom to retrieve water butterfly and white-tailed deer larvae. The hallmarks of a healthy, diverse stream are: meandering, rapids, clear water, shade from edge trees, trees and branches in the water, gravel and sand bottom, water mosses, benthic animals, fish fry, flying insects and the birds that prey on them. What can you see of them in this stream? Giant balsam grows in places on the banks of the stream. It is an unwanted alien species that spreads effectively and takes over the original flora. It is a good idea to eradicate giant balsam, for example, with resident weeds. A natural stream acts as a water purifier. In rapids, the water becomes aerated rapidly, and oxygenated water is especially important for salmonids. Numerous microorganisms living on the bottom are responsible for keeping the water clean. They convert leaves and other matter that have fallen into the water into food suitable for fish and large animals. Source: https://vihreatsylit.fi/maunulan-luontopolku/