Marttila – River Trails, Church Art and Wetland Landscapes

Marttila can be explored in many different ways: a short trail along the Paimionjoki leads to a former swimming spot and a stretch of rapids, while longer hiking routes take you through the municipality’s wetlands and forests. The Church of St. Martin, with its historic furnishings, and a local heritage museum housed in old granaries add to the experience. You can combine nature and culture according to your interests.

Marttila at a glance

• The section of the Kumpulanrannan jokipolku is about 1.4 kilometres long and open to everyone to use free of charge; local trail conditions may change.
• The trail offers views of Kumpulanranta, Marttila’s former swimming spot, and the rapids of the Paimionjoki at Hakaniitty.
• The Marttilan Korven eräreitistö in the municipality offers route options of varying lengths, from 5 to 30 kilometres.
• Kaunilanmaa combines dense, long-untouched forests with wetland and swamp forest areas.
• The Church of St. Martin in the town centre was built in 1765 and is classified as a southern Finnish long church.

River trail and longer hikes

The Kumpulanrannan jokipolku is a short way to discover the Paimionjoki and its surroundings. The described section of the trail is approximately 1.4 kilometres long. Along the way, you’ll find views of Kumpulanranta, Marttila’s former swimming spot, and the rapids of the river at Hakaniitty. The description of it as a former swimming spot refers to its past use; it says nothing about current swimming opportunities.

The Paimionjoki itself is about 110 kilometres long and flows through the municipality of Marttila. The river basin and the old roads that run alongside it form a geographical and tourist area. These roads include the historic Hämeen Härkätie, which passes through the municipality and connects Turku with Hämeenlinna. The river trail and the longer historic route therefore offer two different scales: a walk to a particular stretch of river and the story of a connection between two cities.

If you’re planning a longer trip, the municipality’s Marttilan Korven eräreitistö offers route options between 5 and 30 kilometres. The trails pass through an almost wilderness-like landscape of wetlands and forest islands, and were created to showcase the area’s nature and rural culture in a variety of ways. Both official starting points are about five kilometres from Road 10. White ribbons and other white markers indicate the trails on the ground; as markings and route details may change, current route information is important when planning your stages.

Along the way, you’ll find facilities including campfire sites and lean-tos. There are rest stops at some named locations, with nearby signs telling a story or legend about each place. As facilities may change, don’t rely on campfire sites or lean-tos being available when planning a particular stage. Another separate option is an approximately eight-kilometre loop from Palaisten around the Juomakivenrahka wetland.

Kaunilanmaa: forest, wetlands and old names

The Kaunilanmaa protected area reveals another side of the landscape in the municipality of Marttila. Its dense forest was left untouched for decades; the eastern part is home to a stand of spruce trees more than 100 years old. Tree diversity is greater in the higher-lying western part of Kaunilanmaa: pines predominate, alongside birches, spruces and aspens.

A small, undrained swamp forest lies in the middle of the forest. There are numerous windthrows and deadwood along its edges. The wildlife is also part of the protected area’s described character: crested tits and willow tits breed there and are considered increasingly threatened species given the decline of old-growth forests. Kaunilanmaa is the Luonnonperintösäätiö’s eleventh protected area in Varsinais-Suomi.

The name also tells a story about the forest’s history. The area was originally called Palomäki. At the request of the family that sold the forest, it was given the name Kaunilanmaa as a protected area. Nature enthusiasts can discover not only a variety of forest and wetland habitats here, but also a specific local story behind a place name.

Church, museum and local history

The Church of St. Martin stands in the centre of Marttila and was built in 1765. It represents the southern Finnish long church style shaped by its builder, Antti Piimänen. Its furnishings include a 16th-century crucifix and a pulpit donated by Pietari Brahe. The chandelier is also connected to another church: it served as the model for the chandeliers in Turku Castle’s church.

The Marttilan kotiseutumuseo is also located in the municipality. It is housed in former granaries built between 1852 and 1859 under an imperial decree. Seed and food grain were stored there for years of poor harvests. The Marttilan nuorisoseura played a major role in assembling a collection of more than 1,000 objects. Among other things, it documents everyday farming life and traditional crafts.

Behind the local heritage museum is a monument to Finland’s last peacetime execution. Antti Antinpoika Hannula was sentenced to death for killing his father; the sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. Hannula, however, wanted to atone for his crime with his own death and was executed by axe on 22 October 1824. The church, museum and monument thus tell different stories about religious furnishings, historic food storage and regional history.

Choose a focus for your trip

At about 1.4 kilometres long, the Kumpulanrannan jokipolku offers a different kind of outing from the 5-to-30-kilometre routes of the Marttilan Korven eräreitistö or the loop around Juomakivenrahka. You can also include visits to the church and local heritage museum to suit your cultural interests. When looking for hotels, you can plan your trip around the experiences that matter most to you, without having to approach nature and culture in the same way.

You can discover other destinations, including Pöytyä, Koski, Mynämäki, Taivassalo, Somero, Kiviniemi, Askainen and Dragsfjärd.

Frequently asked questions about Marttila

How long is the Kumpulanrannan jokipolku?

The described section of the trail is about 1.4 kilometres long. The trail is open to everyone to use free of charge; local trail conditions may change.

What landscapes can you see along the Kumpulanrannan jokipolku?

The trail offers views of Kumpulanranta, Marttila’s former swimming spot, and the rapids of the Paimionjoki at Hakaniitty.

What longer hiking options are there in the municipality?

The Marttilan Korven eräreitistö offers route options from 5 to 30 kilometres. There is also an approximately eight-kilometre loop from Palaisten around the Juomakivenrahka wetland.

What makes Kaunilanmaa distinctive?

The protected area includes long-untouched forest, a stand of spruce trees more than 100 years old in the east, and a small, undrained swamp forest with windthrows and deadwood.

What historic sites and collections are there?

The Church of St. Martin, built in 1765, stands in the town centre. The Marttilan kotiseutumuseo is housed in former granaries built between 1852 and 1859 and displays a collection of more than 1,000 objects.

For the regional travel overview: Varsinais-Suomi.