Instructions and Rules in Ärjänsaari

Ärjänsaari Island has been reserved for nature conservation. In order to guarantee a pleasant visit for everyone, the following rules must be followed:

Sustainable Outdoor Activities

• Travel along the trails. This way, the island that is vulnerable to erosion will also remain beautiful in the future.
• Only light a campfire at designated campfire sites. The terrain catches fire very easily.
• Making an open fire is forbidden when a wildfire warning is in effect. The ban does not concern the Säippä cooking shelter. 
• There are no rubbish bins on Ärjänsaari Island, so please remember the principles of litter-free hiking: take away everything you brought along. 
• The Säippä tent area and cooking shelter serve campers. The area is only meant for short-time camping that takes a few days, at a maximum. Camping in other places in Ärjänsaari is not allowed.
• The fishing hut in Karkeapää, Kalamaja, is a day-use hut that can be used freely by everyone. It is not meant for overnight stays, but it provides shelter from the weather. Please note that there is no dry toilet or woodshed at the Kalamaja day-use hut. 
• Snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles and other motor vehicles do not belong to Ärjänsaari Island. Their use on the island is only allowed in maintenance and service purposes.
• Unpowered paragliding is allowed on Ärjänsaari Island. The best spots for paragliding are Lentohiekka and Hautakaarre.
• Activities other than the everyman’s rights require a permit from Metsähallitus. Such activities can, for example, be research activities and organised events. Additional information on permits: permits for research and getting around in nature (metsa.fi), as well as the permits and notifications regarding events (metsa.fi).

Let’s Cherish Nature

• You may pick berries and edible mushrooms, but you may not collect plants, and animals may not be disturbed.
• Do not enter the bird nesting area in the Kirkkosäikkä area (i.e. the eastern tip of the island) from 1 May to 31 July. There are birds in the area whose nesting is easily interrupted if they are disturbed.
• Keep your pet on a leash on the island.
• There is a sheep pasture on the island. Allow the sheep to graze in peace, and remember to close the gates when walking through the pasture.
• Do not feed the sheep!! Their stomachs are easily upset if they eat wrong kinds of treats. The sheep manage nature on Ärjänsaari Island by keeping the landscape open and by maintaining biodiversity.

Safe Outdoor Activities

• It is recommended that smaller boats beach on the shore and larger boats moor to the jetty.
• Start mooring to the jetty at that end of the jetty that is closer to the shoreline. Do not leave large gaps between the boats.
• Next to the Säippä main jetty, there is an old barge that has been sunk underwater. The barge has been marked with buoys. It is not safe to boat or swim at that spot.
• Be careful when swimming! There are deep shores, with currents, on both sides of the tips of the Säippä and Kirkkosäikkä peninsulas. 
• It is not safe to swim close to the jetty, either.
• You will find the safest swimming areas in the mid-part of the shoreline, further away from the tips of the peninsulas.
• Do not go boating on too lightweight a boat. The large open stretches of the lake and the sudden changes in weather can surprise even experienced boaters.
• Be careful when moving on the island. Some of the trails run along the edge of a high shore bank.
• The common adder likes the dry sandy heaths of the island. Usually they avoid contact, but if they feel threatened, they may bite you. Hence, be careful and keep your pets next to you, on a short enough leash.

Preparations

Mobile Phone Coverage

• Although Finland has a broad network for mobile phones, there are some areas in the Ärjänsaari without signal. There may also be some smaller spots where there is interference. If this happens try to climb to a higher place or go into an open area. It may be worth removing the SIM card from your phone and then trying again to make emergency call. Different phones also differ in their coverage.
• We recommend that you keep your mobile phone warm at all times and take along food and drink. Certain phone models do not work when the temperature falls below zero. You should therefore let someone know your planned route. To keep your mobile phone charged, bring along a spare power source, a spare battery or an old phone with a working battery.
  • Background information on how to act in case of an emergency.

Safety

• If you face an emergency on your hike, e.g. get lost, get injured or observe wildfire, call 112 and report an emergency. Background information on how to act in an emergency.
• Make sure you pack a first-aid kit.
• Outdoor Guide
  • Safety
  • Outdoor Etiquette