The Puurijärvi and Isosuo National Park provides a sanctuary for wild birds in the precious cultural landscape of the Satakunta region in southwestern Finland. Come for a day trip spent hiking and enjoying the wilderness.
Parts of the Puurijärvi and Isosuo National Park are closed off to the public during certain times of the year. Please respect the signs!
Birdwatching
The bird sanctuary gives you time to slow down, stop, look and listen. Climb up to the roofed birdwatching tower on Kärjenkallio, one of the largest in the Nordic countries, with room for around 50 people. The birdwatching towers on the southern side of Lake Puurijärvi, in Mutilahti and on the northern side, in Ahvenus, are approximately 4 metres high. A nature watching tower is located on Isosuo Mire.
The most common bird species in the park include the meadow pipit (Anthus pratensis) and yellow wagtail (Motacilla flava). Many waders nest in the mires, including the golden plover (Pluvialis apricaria) and wood sandpiper (Tringa glareola). Isosuo mire is the most valuable area in the park in terms of its birdlife.
Nature trails
The nature trail (2 km) on the northern side of Isosuo Mire introduces visitors to the mysteries of the marshland. You can watch the scenery and observe birdlife in the 4 m-high nature tower along the trail. A trail to the turf shelter (100 m) branch off from the main trail.
Other activities
- Geocaching: In addition to birds, you can look for geocaches in the national park.
- Skiing: Create your own ski trail in the pristine snow of the national park. Although cross-country skiing is allowed in the park, there are no maintained ski trails. Movement is restricted in Puurijärvi and Korkeasuo from 1 February to 30 November.
- Sights and scenery: Explore the history of peat extraction in the turf shelter on the Isosuo Mire duckboard trail. For magnificent views, go to the scenic rock close to the Puurijärvi guidance shelter, the Kärjenkallio birdwatching tower, the nature tower in the northern part of Isosuo mire and the Mutilahti and Ahvenus birdwatching towers.
- Pick berries and mushrooms: Pick refreshing cranberries (Vaccinium oxycoccos) in the mire in late autumn, or enjoy sweet bilberries (Vaccinium myrtillus) in the forest.
- Canoeing: For an unforgettable experience, canoe to the Puurijärvi and Isosuo National Park along the rivers Kokemäenjoki and Ala-Kauvatsanjoki. Local canoe route guidebooks are available at the Kokemäki town hall. You can also row along the rivers. There are boat stages by the campfire site on the river Ala-Kauvatsajoki.
- Hiking: Three marked trails (0.5–2 km) to the bird watching towers. The trails introduce hikers to mire ecosystems, birdlife and vegetation.
- Swimming: The best place to go swimming is the jetty by the campfire site on the river Ala-Kauvatsanjoki. There is no official beach in the park.
