PR Sample provided by Valostore. At the beginning of the year, I got a new headlamp called Lumonite Compass from Valostore to test out. I decided to test the lamp at in Kuusisto, the ruins of Bishop’s Castle. The castle ruins are located approximately 8 km from the center of Kaarina.
14th century castle ruins
The bishop’s castle of Kuusisto was built in the 14th century as a place of residence and refuge for the bishops of the Catholic Church of Finland. The castle was originally located on an island, but due to the rise of the land, the castle now has a land connection. The castle was at its finest in the 15th century, but in the 16th century it was demolished by order of King Gustav I of Sweden.
However, the ruins of the castle still exist, and they were rediscovered at the end of the 19th century. Since then, the ruins have been excavated, and they have been repaired and supported several times. You can also find signs in the area that tell about the history of the area in Finnish, Swedish and English.
Among the dark castle ruins in the winter
One of the reasons for my trip to the Kuusisto castle ruins was to test the effectiveness of the new headlamp in practice. That’s why I decided to schedule my visit for late evening. The headlamp to be tested was the Lumonite Compass. The light output of the lamp was promised to be more than 1300 lumens, so my expectations were high.
I left the car in the parking lot at the end of the road, from which it was still about 700 m to walk before arriving at the ruins. The street lights end several kilometers before the parking lot, so it was really dark in the area.
There are guide signs around the parking lot and later on the ruins, which were easy to read in the light of a headlamp. The light output was also good for walking on an uneven road, and there was no need to fear icy spots and ankle sprains.
The castle ruins are surrounded by a wide path, which is easy to walk along in the summer. On this trip, however, the paths and the stairs of the castle ruins were covered in thick ice, and movement required attention. I was happy and a lot safer in the wintery darkness to have the headlamp with me. After wandering around the castle ruins for a while, I walked back to the car. The whole excursion took a couple of hours.
Review the Lumonite Compass headlamp
The battery life of the headlamp proved to be good during the trip, as the light output showed no signs of weakening during the trip. The light output of the Lumonite Compass was sufficient even for moving in challenging places. I could see the walls of the castle easily from a distance of a few dozen meters, but the light power was not enough to get excellent pictures of the ruins at night with a mobile phone camera. Nonetheless, the headlamp was effective enough that I was able to take some photos without the flash of the mobile phone.
Pros:
- Excellent battery longevity
- Powerful
- Easy to charge
Cons:
- The power of the light beam is unadjustable.
For those interesting in buying the Lumonite Compass 1250lm or perhaps another lamp, head to Valostore online shop. The online shop showcases all the different add-ons you can purchase for each of their lamps. You can also compare different products and choose the best one for you.
My first intention had been to go and test the lamp at Ryövärinluola cave (Robber’s cave) located on the island of Kuusisto. However, the location of the site in question is challenging enough that the trip had to be postponed to later in the spring. I will definitely take the Lumonite Compass with me when I go check out Ryövärinluola.
Directions to the Kuusisto castle ruins
Address for carpark: Linnanrauniontie 556, 21620 Kaarina. Disabled parking at Linnanrauniontie 633, 21620 Kaarina.
- Boat or paddle: The castle ruins can be reached by boat. The pier is located on the north shore. There is a depth of about two meters in front of the pier. You can also land next to the pier with a canoe or kayak. Coordinates WGS84: P 60° 24.503′ and E 22° 28.392′
- Car: You can leave your car in the parking area, which is about 700 meters from the castle ruins. There is a small parking lot for the disabled right near the Kuusisto castle ruins.
- Bicycle: Saaristo Ring Road is only 6 kilometers to Kuusisto castle ruins. The distance from the center of Kaarina is about 8 kilometers.
- Public transport: From the direction of Turku, public transport in the Turku region, extends to the Kuusisto castle ruins parking area on weekdays. With the buses going to Parainen, you can get to the intersection of Saaristotie and Linnanrauniontie (stop no. 6213), from where it is 6 kilometers to the castle ruins. Check out timetables from the route advisor.
Accessibility: The path around the ruins are easy and accessible also for people with reduced mobility. Parking is available in two different places in the area: the first area is at the end of the road, or people with reduced mobility there is a parking lot nearby castle ruins. Continue past the Kuusisto art mansion and park directly in the parking lot in the courtyard of the castle ruins. From the first parking area, it is a 700 m walk to the castle ruins.
Facilities: There is a campfire site next to castle ruins, and also an outdoor toilet which is open from May to October. Castle ruins are next to Kuusistonlahti bay, and there is a pier for arriving by boat or paddle.
More to explore nearby
You can also visit the Kuusistonlahti bird tower nearby, which is located within walking distance from the Kuusisto castle ruins parking lot. In addition, the Kappelinmäki nature trail goes around the area. You can also check out the Vaarniemi nature trail at the border of Turku and Kaarina, which is also a part of ancient pilgrim route from Turku to Trondheim, Norway.
