Secret Talosaari, Husö

Published 24.9.2017

Autumn Talosaari (Husö) in eastern Helsinki offered a real nature excursion when we headed out to admire autumn nature in hopes of mushroom hunting. The place is familiar from summer outings, so the first autumn visit offered truly unique nature experiences compared to summer. The mushrooms stayed in the forest, but otherwise the trip was unforgettable: horses, migratory birds, snakes, giant ant hills and two beaver lodges (and some beavers lurking somewhere nearby).

[caption id=“attachment_1459” align=“aligncenter” width=“2000”] The Talosaari outdoor trail runs in the shade of old deciduous trees.[/caption]

Talosaari is an outdoor recreational area owned by the City of Helsinki, about ten kilometers east of Itäkeskus along the new Porvoo Road. You can reach the Talosaarentie intersection by HSL bus, but from there it’s still several kilometers of walking, so this time the destination is best reached by car or, for example, by bicycle. Talosaari is home to the Husö Riding Center, and the outdoor trail starts from its parking lot. This makes it an excellent destination from a children’s perspective: right at the beginning you can see (almost) certainly horses! And we did see wonderful horses, as we were the only hikers there on that autumn day and the horses clearly wanted company. You’ll also encounter horses or at least their hoofprints on the outdoor trail, as the riding center’s riders use the same routes.

[caption id=“attachment_1467” align=“aligncenter” width=“1334”] Talosaari is an outdoor recreational area of the City of Helsinki.[/caption]

Our autumn outing started peacefully admiring the horses. We walked to the other end of the trail, where we planned to eat our packed lunch by the familiar beach. However, the plans changed when we noticed the symmetrical reed piles on the beach. A quick Google search produced results: Beaver lodges! The next sentence made us take a couple of steps back “Beavers defend their lodges aggressively”. So the lunch spot was quickly changed to a rocky beach a short distance away, where another surprise awaited: a grass snake enjoying the autumn sun in a rock crevice. Finally, we ate our lunch in the boat admiring migratory birds flying by.

[caption id=“attachment_1454” align=“aligncenter” width=“2000”] Talosaari’s reedy beach, where you can wade in summer.[/caption]

On the way back, you can spot two large ant hills from the side of the road and an ant tunnel inside an old tree trunk. Fortunately, these can be observed and marveled at from up close as well. From a children’s perspective, the trip was a real adventure: in an hour we saw autumn nature as well as animals and listened to the sound of the sea. Back in the parking lot, we got one more nature experience: moose flies live this close to the hustle and bustle of Helsinki!

Talosaari’s uniqueness lies precisely in simple things: the place isn’t very large, but it still has something unique. It’s an excellent destination with children: the clear terrain invites exploration and adventure, and even the youngest can join in, even sleeping in a stroller.

[caption id=“attachment_1458” align=“aligncenter” width=“2000”] An ant townhouse.[/caption]

Talosaari features beautiful old deciduous trees, coniferous forest, seaside beaches and large reed beds. There used to be a maintained swimming area here, but now we only wade in the reedy beach in summer. From the tip of the Talosaari peninsula you can see the cranes of the Vuosaari harbor, a place so close yet so far away. The possibility of walking with a stroller, horses, and perfect natural peace and varied nature are reasons to recommend this place as a family outing destination. Talosaari is definitely worth visiting!

[caption id=“attachment_1457” align=“aligncenter” width=“2000”] The outdoor trail also leads to the seaside, which opens up a wonderful archipelago view.[/caption]

Note! If you visit Talosaari and find the beaver lodges mentioned in this article, please give them some peace and admire them from a distance? One of Talosaari’s unique features lies precisely in these residents of the place ;)

[caption id=“attachment_1456” align=“aligncenter” width=“1125”] Migratory birds.[/caption]

Tip: If you continue on the new Porvoo Road a short distance on the Sipoo side, you’ll find a charming bakery café N’avetta and restaurant N’avetan Laituri from Gumbostrand. Also home bakery Keidas café can be recommended, located at the Gumbon Road intersection along the new Porvoo Road!

More trip tips from the Small Helsinki website