In Salmi, you’ll find the ingredients for a good everyday life
- The peaceful and pleasant Salmi area is a paradise for residents of detached houses. The park-like environment encompasses a vast array of leisure opportunities.
A crisp overnight frost has coated the trees in a white rime, and the cold air makes your breath steam. At Pehtoorinkuja playground, however, the cold doesn’t hinder the activity. Siblings Elias and Nella dash from the swings to the climbing frame and slide with energy that only 4- and 2-year-olds can muster early on a Saturday morning.
The Lehtonen family has lived in Salmi, Uusikaupunki, for nearly ten years. They purchased their detached house on this tranquil edge of the forest over eight years ago.
‘We used to rent on the next street over. We half-jokingly went to see our current house because it had a pit in the garage floor, which was important for Eetu, who is into cars. The joke quickly turned into reality,’ recalls Henni Lehtonen.
If Eetu found his favorite spot in the garage immediately, Henni has gradually found hers in the garden. On their plot bordering the forest, they grow everything from cucumbers and zucchini to tomatoes and watermelons in the summer.
‘I just wanted to try a bit at first, but now I’m totally into gardening. In autumn, I always wonder what I’ll do until next spring,’ laughs Henni.
In Salmi, even those without their own gardens have opportunities to cultivate. Plots of one are are rented out for hobby farming during the summer. There’s also a training field for dog enthusiasts and a stable for horse riders.
The Lehtonens especially enjoy the forests surrounding the area. You can access the forest from practically every corner of Salmi. Henni goes mushroom picking and jogs with the family’s dog Pavel in the forest, while Eetu praises the excellent mountain biking trails.
‘It’s rare to be able to traverse the terrain all the way to Vohdensaari, but you can from here,’ Eetu notes. ‘And in winter, we have our own skating rink.
Life in Salmi is safe and calm for families with children. Their home is away from the busiest roads, yet services are not far. The children’s daycare is within walking distance.
‘If only we had the seaside nearby, it would be pretty perfect. But fortunately, jogging around Käätyjärvi lake offers a nice way to be near water,’ smiles Henni Lehtonen.
In the Neighborhood Stories series, residents of Uusikaupunki showcase their residential areas.