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See and experience, cycling, responsible travel
Hop on the saddle and go enjoy the peace of countryside and its stunning scenery! Along the idyllic route there is a beach, so bring your swimsuit!
Length: approx. 15 km
Duration: Just over an hour
Difficulty: Easy. The route includes gravel road sections.
Tips: The route can be easily connected to the Porhonkallio’s route.
The route starts from the Old Town, in front of the Tourist Information Centre. From Mannerheiminkatu road turn to Torikatu road. Head uphill to Lappalaistenkatu road and continue left onto the gravel road. The gravel road leads to Kuparivuorentie road, where you soon get a nice view of the Ukko-Pekka bridge. A more straightforward route to this same point is to go along Kaivokatu road and then Kuparivuorentie road, but this route has a longer uphill. At the top, it’s better to jump off the bike and climb on foot to Kuparivuori. The scenery is second to none. The Ukko-Pekka Bridge, named after the nickname of the third President of Finland, P.E. Svinhufvud, is a great place to view the rugged cliffs of Kuparivuori and the archipelago scenery. From the bridge, you can also see Kultaranta, the summer residence of Finland’s President. The garden of Kultaranta is closed for renovation in the summers of 2023 and 2024.
The Ukko-Pekka bridge takes you to the island of Luonnonmaa. After the bridge, turn left onto Käköläntie road. Be careful when crossing the busy Rymättyläntie road. When the cycle path on the right side of Käköläntie road ends, continue along Käkölänraitti road. At the junction of Käköläntie and Haijaistentie roads, you will start to go clockwise around the Haijaisten route. A few pedals after the junction and you are in the heart of the countryside. An asphalt road continues for a couple of kilometres. The dirt road that starts at Miekkula is narrow but quiet, with only occasional cars. There is a lot of loose gravel on the road, especially at the roadside, so it is not advisable to come here with narrow tyres. The route varies nicely with some hills.
At Kirstilä, the road goes right through a farmyard, and soon after you will see a sign for “Villa” on your left. The road leads to the beach of Villa, 750 metres away. The beach is located on the Villa’s farm, where you will also find a campsite. Find out more about Villan Tila: https://visitnaantali.com/yritys/villan-tila/ A couple of hundred metres before the beach there is a parking area, and you can pedal all the way to the beach. The fine sandy beach is located at the bottom of a sheltered bay, where it is pleasant to swim and enjoy a picnic. The beach gets deeper quite quickly, and you can also swim from the pier. There are changing rooms and a toilet on the beach. The beach is just over 6 km from Naantali Old Town by the most direct road, so it’s relatively easy to pedal down there for a summer’s day out.
From the beach you return to Kirstiläntie. The dirt road continues for about 1.5 km. The dirt road crossing the countryside is a beautiful and nostalgic sight. As soon as you have passed through the farm, you reach the asphalt road. The road continues along the roadside for a while until, as a sign of civilisation, the cycle path begins at the Haijaisten activity centre. In addition to the activity centre, Haijainen has a frisbee golf course, a nature trail, and a signposted 2.4 km mountain bike trail. More information: https://www.naantali.fi/fi/kulttuuri-ja-vapaa-aika/vuokrattavat-tilat-ja-liikuntapaikat/haijaisten-toimintakeskus.
Mountain bike route map and information: https://www.naantali.fi/fi/asuminen-ja-ymparisto/luonto-ja-ymparisto/ulkoilukohteet/polut-reitit-ja-ladut/maastopyorareitti.
From Haijainen, the route leads back to the Käköläntie junction. There you can cycle all the way to Rymättyläntie road. If your stomach is already growling and you can’t wait until you get to old town you can stop for food or a cup of coffee at the Kultaranta kiosk. The kiosk is located practically along the route, at the junction of Rymättyläntie and Luonnonmaantie roads. Check the kiosk opening hours: https://www.facebook.com/KultarannanKioski/. You return to Old Town on the same tracks as when you arrived.
You can also rent a suitable vehicle from Visit Naantali. Find out more about bike rental here!