Lempäälä: Hiking, Water and Culture

Lempäälä offers a range of options for planning your trip, with hiking, water and culture among the main highlights. If you’re looking for a hotel in Lempäälä, the activities you have planned can help you narrow down your travel interests. The Birgitta Trail is a longer circular hike, while the canal and water route offer different perspectives on the area’s waterways. Other highlights include a medieval church, an ancient hillfort, a cultural centre and a birdwatching tower. These places differ in both subject and scale, giving you the chance to decide what you’d like to focus on during your stay.

Waterways, Boat Trips and Fishing

Lempäälä Canal is in the town centre. Built between 1867 and 1874, it is 1,275 metres long and connects Lake Pyhäjärvi with Lake Vanajavesi. Cruise ships and leisure boats use the canal. Its history and the range of boats that use it offer two different points of interest for anyone interested in Lempäälä’s waterways. Operating hours may vary by season, so check the schedule in advance if you’re planning a trip.

Another way to get out on the water is the route around Lempäälä’s central island, which is about 10 kilometres long. It includes the canal, Herralan Vuolle and Kuokkalankoski. The route is also suitable for beginners, except at the Herralankoski dam. This exception is important when planning your route: the stated suitability does not apply at this dam. Water levels, safety conditions and equipment availability may vary, so check conditions before setting out.

Kuokkalankoski–Herralankoski is a popular fishing spot along the rapids. Rainbow trout, vendace, grayling and eels are stocked there. Stocking practices may change over time. Alongside boating and the water route, fishing is another activity to consider.

Hiking and Getting to the Birgitta Trail

The Birgitta Trail is an approximately 50-kilometre circular hiking route through Lempäälä’s lake and forest landscapes. In 2006, it was named Finland’s Hiking Destination of the Year. Compared with the approximately 10-kilometre water route, it offers a different scale for planning: this is a longer hike. The trail is accessible by public transport, and there are several starting points in Lempäälä. The route is easy to reach at the Hääkivi rest area. Lempäälä railway station is about 1.5 kilometres from this rest area. Keep in mind that trail conditions may vary by season when planning your visit.

Church, Hillfort and Cultural Activities

Pyhän Birgitan Kirkko is a medieval grey-stone church in the town centre, over 500 years old. It was built in the early 16th century. Pirunlinna represents a different historical period: the site is an ancient hillfort, probably about 1,000 years old. The church and Pirunlinna therefore represent different historical contexts: a medieval church on the one hand, and a much older hillfort whose date is uncertain on the other.

Cultural activities are also part of what the town has to offer. The PiiPoo Cultural Centre in Ideapark provides free cultural and art activities for children and people of all ages. Individual programmes may change. This adds a cultural and artistic focus for a range of age groups alongside the historical sites.

Birdwatching and Swimming

At Ahtialanjärvi, a birdwatching tower overlooks a lake in Lempäälä that has been included in Finland’s Natura 2000 conservation network as a valuable bird habitat. Here, a viewing point and the lake’s protected status as a bird habitat go hand in hand.

For a different way to enjoy the water, Lempee Sauna is located on the shore of Lake Pyhäjärvi and features a sauna and café. Facilities include a heated outdoor pool, a cold-water pool, lake swimming—including winter ice swimming—and a lounge area with café services. Check the operating details before your trip. This gives you a few different ways to enjoy the water in Lempäälä: the canal and water route, fishing in the rapids, or a sauna and swim by the lake.

Discover more destinations: Nokia, Pirkkala, Urjala, Orivesi, Valkeakoski, Toijala, Mänttä-Vilppula, Laitikkala.

For the main travel overview: Pirkanmaa.