Teijo National Park

Salo
South-West Finland

Teijo: Easily Accessible and Enchanting with Its Diversity

In Teijo National Park, the diverse nature and traces of history intertwine beautifully. In addition to the wilderness of marsh and lake landscapes, Teijo offers magnificent forests, rocky highlands, and coastal areas. The cultural heritage of the manorial estates and human presence have shaped this diverse region into something entirely unique.

In the surroundings of Lake Sahajärvi, unusual plant and tree species thrive: the rhododendron and other special plants tell their own stories about the history of Teijo Manor, as the estate’s gardeners once planted these species in the nearby forest.

Elsewhere, on the outskirts of Teijo National Park, the landscapes of the ancient Jeturkasti shoreline take you back in time to the days when the sea still surged large and blue over southern Finland. The field of round stones in the forest provokes thought: what did our ancestors ponder as they moved through these lands over the ages?

In the landscapes around Lake Sahajärvi, especially during winter, it is quite likely to encounter dippers flying back and forth along the brook that flows from the lake. For many summer visitors, a true experience is also the pair of self-driven rafts at Kalasuntti and the lean-to located beautifully in the embrace of an island.

The red glow of Punassuo bog and the picturesque Matildanjärvi and Puolakkajärvi lakes offer scenery where the eyes can truly rest.

Services

The small Iron Works Villages Enchant and Serve Hikers

In the immediate vicinity of Teijo National Park, travelers are captivated by the picturesque ironworks villages of Mathildedal, Teijo, and Kirjakkala.

In the beautiful seaside village of Mathildedal, you can admire the amusing-looking alpacas wandering in their enclosure, visit a local café, and taste products from the Teijo Village Brewery.

From Teijo village, you can find the smallest stone church in our country, a village shop, Teijo Ironworks, and shipbuilding industry. There are marinas in both Teijo and Mathildedal.

Trails in Teijo National Park

Accessible Trails

Kariholma Accessible Trail: 600 m each way. An accessible trail leading through the forest to a beautiful spot by Lake Matilda. At the lakeside, there is an accessible cooking shelter and pier.
Jeturkasti Accessible Trail: 700 m each way. A challenging accessible trail leading to an ancient stone seashore in the middle of the forest. No campfire site.

Other Trails

Totti Nature Trail: 1.3 km loop trail. The trail passes through hazel bushes, rocky outcrops, and lush streamside groves near the village of Teijo. No campfire site.
Punassuo Trail: 2.1 km each way. The trail leads through the forest to a bog, where boardwalks provide an easy path to enjoy the beauty and tranquility of a Finnish bog. This route is an out-and-back. No campfire site.
Nenusta Loop: 3.6 km loop trail. The trail winds through forests and rocky areas, offering views from a high cliff at Nenustannokka. The route also includes a short section of bog and a campfire site.
Jeturkasti Ancient Trail: 4.6 km loop trail. This forested and rocky trail takes you to an ancient seashore, now a field of round stones in the middle of the forest. No campfire site.
Onnelannummi Trail: 4.9 km loop trail. The trail leads through pine forests and follows the beautiful shoreline of Lake Hamari for a considerable stretch. There are some elevation changes. Along the lakeshore, there is a public campfire site, and further into the forest, there is a larger reservable campfire site suitable for groups. The starting point is the picturesque ironworks village of Kirjakkala.
Matilda Lake Loop: 5.5 km loop trail. This trail circles Lake Matilda, offering enchanting lake views for nearly the entire journey. A short section also passes through the scenic ironworks village of Mathildedal. There are several campfire sites along the way.
Sahajärvi Loop: 6.4 km loop trail. This forested trail circles near Lake Sahajärvi and includes a self-driven raft connection to the island of Kalasunti and beyond. There is a lean-to shelter on Kalasunti.

How to get there

Throughout Teijo National Park, there are wonderful trails that often start from various parking areas. Therefore, it’s not a bad idea to arrive in Teijo by car. However, on school days, you can also reach Teijo by bus from Salo, and during the summer, a dedicated bus line runs daily from Salo right to the nature center’s yard. On summer weekends, this line operates as a charter service.

By car

Below is a list of parking areas near Teijo National Park, including their names and addresses:

Kirjakkala, Hamarijärventie

Sahajärvi, Teijontie 12

Nenusta and Laviakallio, along Sauruntie

Miilunummi, Talonpojan Teijon Tie 265

Piikanummi, Lankkerintie 288

Mikkossuo, Teijontie 554

Matildanjärvi/Teijon luontokeskus, Matildanjärventie 84

Jeturkasti, Skoilantie 354

Punassuo, Leppäkorventie 585

By public transport

In the summer, a bus departing from the Salo bus station brings hikers to the Teijo Nature Center, from where there are excellent opportunities to start on the park’s trails.

During other times of the year, a bus runs from Salo to Teijo and Mathildedal on school days.

You can reach Salo directly from Helsinki and Turku by both train and bus.