Espoo's outdoor islands: Pentala (island and museum)

Pentala is an impressive destination. The 130-hectare island features an old fishing village turned into a museum, a nature reserve, a couple of natural beaches, and a four-hectare lake. And you can reach it by archipelago boat!

Right by the harbor, you'll find a beach cabin dating back to 1819. The roof has been restored with traditional thatch.

Inside, fishing gear is on display.

The island has likely been inhabited since the Middle Ages. Permanent settlement in Pentala dates back to the 1700s. At its peak, the island had around 20 residents. In other words, this sheltered side of the island has been used for landing for at least hundreds, possibly over five hundred years.

The island has both a café and the archipelago restaurant Paven. Bringing your own food is not necessary, but it's a good idea to check the opening hours.

Two of the island's buildings have been restored for museum use.

In the information building, or perhaps it's called the museum building, there's an exhibition on what life was like on the island.

Additionally, Gurli's house tells the story of the island's last resident, Gurli Nyholm. The house, along with its furnishings, remains as it was when it was inhabited, making it something of a living museum. There are no pictures of the inside of Gurli's house in this series, so it's worth a visit.

The new maintenance building has flushing toilets, and you can fill up your water bottles with fresh water.

Meadow with a café in the background. The main livelihood on the island was fishing, but the sheltered meadow in the middle of the island was also used for farming and keeping animals.

There are clear paths to follow on the island. Although the island is large, you won't get lost if you stay on the paths.

The Nyholm barn was built in the 1920s and moved to this location in the 1930s. It housed 1-2 cows, and a chicken coop was located a bit further back.

The meadows are maintained using traditional methods.

It's easy to forget that you're on an island in the sea. Here, you can get right into the middle of the forest.

Then you arrive at one of Espoo's most beautiful spots. Pentala's freshwater lake covers four hectares. The water is clear, and on a hot summer day, it's nice to take a dip.

The cliffs offer nice views. There's also an island in the lake, which, according to stories, has a spring. So, there's an island on the sea with a lake that has an island with a spring.

On the southeast coast of the island, you'll find Diksand, a natural beach. Within ten minutes, you can take a dip in both the lake and the sea. I have a separate collection online about Diksand beach. 

The scenery is quite excellent.