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Mustaviiri cultural heritage nature trail

—•Hiking Trails

1.6 km

Route

Description

Luontoon.fi – Mustaviiri cultural heritage nature trail+

Description

The Mustaviiri cultural heritage nature trail is about 1.6 km as a marked loop on Mustaviiri island in the Eastern Gulf of Finland National Park, in Pyhtää, Kymenlaakso. The island sits in Pyhtää’s outer archipelago and is reached only by sea—there is no scheduled ferry—so planning the boat or kayak leg is as important as the walk. For national-park route material for this trail, start with the Mustaviiri cultural heritage nature trail pages on Luontoon.fi. Pyhtää municipality lays out island history, the jatulintarha labyrinths and practical access in plain language. Visit Kotka-Hamina describes the rocky landing, breakwater mooring and what to expect on approach. Retkipaikka’s Eastern Gulf of Finland National Park guide folds Mustaviiri into the wider park picture—useful if you are linking day sails with other park islands. Mustaviiri is often described as the westernmost excursion island in this national park. Along the loop, interpretation boards cover nature and cultural history. One of Finland’s Struve Geodetic Arc stations—a UNESCO World Heritage Site measured in 1833—lies on an open rock in the middle of the island next to Mustaviiri luontotorni, so you get wide sea views from the tower after only a short walk from Mustaviiri Svartviran telttailualue. The smaller of two jatulintarha stone spiral mazes stands near the trail’s beginning; the larger, nationally significant labyrinth lies toward the north of the island. The Grönholm families fished and farmed here from 1873 until they left in 1919 and 1923, leaving pasture marks you can still read in the landscape—see the history section for the chronology. For an overnight or rest stop, Mustaviiri Svartviran telttailualue doubles as the main camping focus on the island. The outing combines easily with picnic stops at Mustaviiri valvontatuvan tulentekopaikka and the two numbered fire spots Mustaviiri tulentekopaikka1 and Mustaviiri tulentekopaikka2. Drinking water is available from Mustaviiri Svartviran kaivo; treat it as backcountry water and boil it before drinking, as park service reminders suggest for island wells in this area. Metsähallitus keeps a building on the island that Visit Kotka-Hamina notes is not in open public use as visitor accommodation; the campfire sites near it are still the practical cooking stops. Dry toilets serve the camping area so you can stay comfortably for a full day or night. The rocky, wind-exposed shoreline and open Gulf setting reward experienced small-craft visitors; sources discourage beginner sea kayakers from treating the crossing lightly. Check Luontoon.fi and Pyhtää’s pages before you go for any changes to services, campfire rules or temporary restrictions in the national park.

Length & route

The trail is about 1.6 km as one marked loop around Mustaviiri. Allow about 1–1.5 hours on foot if you read the boards, visit Mustaviiri luontotorni and pause at the Struve point—all sources describe a short, easy circuit with strong cultural stops rather than a strenuous hike.

Getting there

Mustaviiri has no scheduled ferry service; you reach it with your own boat or a chartered water taxi, as Pyhtää and Visit Kotka-Hamina both stress. The shores are rocky and exposed; Visit Kotka-Hamina recommends landing on the northeast side opposite Kaiskeri, where a stone breakwater offers the most predictable mooring—secure with lines to shore rings and a kedge anchor on the south side of the structure in roughly 1–3 m of water in a normal summer season. Smaller boats can sometimes nose to the beach, while larger craft anchor off the breakwater. Experienced sea kayakers use the island as a day or overnight destination, but beginners should not underestimate the open-water crossing. Finland’s chart series lists the guest-harbour number and coordinates on Visit Kotka-Hamina’s Mustaviiri guest-harbour page. From the landing, follow marked paths to Mustaviiri Svartviran telttailualue and the nature-trail signs.

Good to know

Build fires only at official fireplaces and camp at the designated tent area inside the national park; broader park rules and any seasonal landing bans—especially around bird nesting—are summarised on Luontoon.fi and in Retkipaikka’s overview. There is no pier; landings depend on calm-enough sea conditions for your craft.

History

Unverified local tradition mentioned by Pyhtää suggests families may have moved to Mustaviiri from Kaunissaari already in the 1720s. Jakob and Maria Grönholm settled permanently in 1873 with their household; their sons Johan and Jakob continued on the island, and later descendants William and Karl Magnus founded branches of the family there. The families left in 1919 and 1923, and the island has not been permanently inhabited since. The Grönholms rented from Ahvenkoski manor, by oral tradition until 1941, and made their living mainly from fishing. The Struve station on Mustaviiri was measured in 1833 as part of the broader arc that helped determine the size and shape of the Earth. The two jatulintarha spirals—also called Laiska-Jaakon ringit—are stone-bordered paths interpreted as historically layered archaeological features, the larger one classified as nationally significant.

Managed by

Pyhtää

Official Maintenance

GPX data from: © Metsähallitus, 2024

Trail info

Walked either way around the short island loop; board layout and scenery read the same in either direction.

Route direction

National Park

Area

Island

UNESCO

Area

Marked Route

Route Signs

Open / Good Condition

Activities allowed

Hike / Walk

Activity

Terrain & conditions

1.6 km

Distance

About 1–1.5 hours for the loop with visits to the viewing tower and interpretation boards.

Est. Time

Stone Dust / Dirt

Surface

Loop

Route Type

Light Traffic

Traffic

Partial Shade

Shade

Location

60.27786°N, 26.60566°E

Approximate location

FinlandCountry

KymenlaaksoRegion

PyhtääCity

MustaviiriVillage

Hiking TrailsCategory

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Answers to your questions

Our data was researched from Pyhtää, and other trusted sources, in March 2026. Our route / place GPX data comes from Metsähallitus / Lipas, last updated March 2026. Always check their official website for safety-critical updates.

Finland Kymenlaakso Pyhtää Hiking TrailsMustaviiri cultural heritage nature trail