Bothnian Sea National Park

Stretching from Kustavi to Merikarvia, the Bothnian Sea National Park offers wonderful maritime experiences for people who love nature and enjoy other aspects of travel. Most of the park’s destinations are islands, the most popular of which are Säppi and Iso-Enskeri, both of which are accessible to visitors without their own vessel on boat tours organised in the summer. Tickets and timetables can be found online at: shop.visitpori.fi.

Preiviikinlahti Bay, an internationally significant bird site, is one of the few destinations of the Bothnian Sea National Park that are located on the mainland – right near Yyteri, for that matter. The nature observation decks on the mainland are ideal places for watching water birds and waders. More information about the nature observation decks is available here.

The recently refurbished, gleaming white lighthouse can be seen from afar when approaching Säppi  island. The 1.5-kilometre Alfred nature trail describes the history of Säppi during the time of lighthouse keepers and pilots. The trail takes visitors to the southeastern side of the island, with the best places to enjoy the warm smooth rocks while letting the sea lap at your feet. The hardiest will climb the 130 steps of the lighthouse to admire breathtaking views. The lighthouse offers views of the highland cattle and wild mouflon sheep taking care of the island’s nature management.

You can study the immensely varied and beautiful nature of Iso-Enskeri, an island for outdoor recreation, on the 1.4-kilometre or three-kilometre nature trail, with display boards providing information about the island’s interesting history. An imposing shingle beach, an ancient shoreline, can be found on the northeastern side of the island. The trail returns to the campfire site through a thick coniferous forest. The lichen-covered trees and anthills along the trail punctuate the journey. Alternatively, you can spend the day relaxing by the beach and enjoying your own snacks while taking in the view of the sea. The island has a fire pit, a cooking shelter and a dry toilet for visitors. This pristine part of the outer archipelago of the Bothnian Sea National Park, preserved as it has been for ages, can be described as unique. Here, you are nature’s guest of honour. The area has large populations of marine birds, and during the boat trip you can see not only idyllic islands dotted with summer cottages but also families of swans.

Other camping islands in the Bothnian Sea National Park include Munakari and Seliskeri, which offer basic camping services: an outhouse, a fire pit and docks for boats. The rocks on the western side of Munakari island (not to be confused with the Munakari Spit just off Yyteri Beach) offer sheltered coves for observing the endless open sea or even an autumn storm. Munakari is the northernmost of a group of three islands. It has traditionally been popular with fishermen. In late summer 2014, the Munakari day cottage was opened on the island in an old fishermen’s hut that dates back to the 1970s.  Fishermen’s huts were temporary seasonal dwellings built by fishermen in the archipelago for overnight stays during fishing trips. To the west of the Munakari fishermen’s hut, there is a good dock that can be accessed via a 1.2-metre channel from the south-north coastal route on the eastern side of the island.  There is a wood-burning stove in the day cottage and there is an outhouse on the island. No firewood is available on Munakari island.

The beautiful wooded island of  Seliskeri is located in the archipelago of Ahlainen, to the northeast of the camping island of Iso-Enskeri. Visit the island on a boat to sit by a campfire or bring a bucket and pick some berries. The island has two docks and sheltered campfire spots and a toilet. The overall appearance of the island is dominated by pine trees and shaped by glacial moraine rocks. The island is rich in blueberries, for example, which makes it a great destination for berry picking. There are many trails across the island that provide opportunities to explore the local nature. The harbour for visiting campers is to the north of the route. Boats should be moored at the dock by using buoys, but side mooring is also possible for small vessels.

Recreation specialist Marjo Kekki’s top three tips for the Bothnian Sea National Park:

1. Enjoy the stillness of the outdoor recreation islands. Lie down on the rocks, close your eyes and take a deep breath of the clean sea air. Let the refreshing waves lap at your feet.
2. Watching the sunset from the Säppi gangway is a riveting, beautiful experience. The luckiest will even get a glimpse of the mouflons, which become active in the evening, in a blaze of colours.
3. The clamor of migrating birds is a show of nature at its best, even if you cannot distinguish a wader from a dabbler. The bird towers in Preiviikinlahti Bay offer a great stage for this show. Should an enthusiastic bird-watcher be visiting the tower at the same time as you, take advantage of their expertise to learn more.