Nature trails
The Rietulan Kierto Trail, 2 km Circle Route
The Rietulan kierto trail guides its wanderers through old slash-and-burn areas and forest pastures, adorned with meadow plants that tell the story of the history of slash-and-burn cultivation.
During the snow free season, the duration of the journey is approximately 40 minutes.
The route is easy. The Rietulan kierto trail passes through a portion of the journey on a pasture, accessed via steps.
If you wish to avoid the pasture, choose theLaidunkierto trail, 0.9 km, which follows the beginning and end of the Rietulan kierto trail.
Starting point
Address: Kaiturintie 419. Starting point is near the parking area of the Telkkämäki heritage farm, on the opposite side of the road.
Hiking Structures
A dry toilet is located near the Telkkämäki slash-and-burn heritage site parking area. An informational shelter is situated at the parking area. There are no fire pits in the area.
Route Description
The route begins right at the edge of Kaiturintie road, marked by a wooden intersection sign. The recommended direction for the Rietulan kierto trail is counterclockwise, so the path immediately turns right and follows the traditional picket fence. Soon, the path dives into a deciduous-dominated mixed forest. A few hundred meters ahead, there is a junction where you can turn right for the shorter Laidunkierto trail, 0.9 km. The Rietulan kierto trail continues onward to the pasture steps. The pasture steps are like fixed A-ladders, allowing you to cross the fence without opening gates. Along the way, you'll encounter several old slash-and-burn areas of different ages. When these areas are grazed, they remain quite open and dominated by deciduous trees. If the slash-and-burn area is mowed and harvested, it remains an open meadow.
Just before the Rietulan kierto trail rejoins the same path as the Laidunkieto trail, you'll walk through a stand of spruces in a managed forest. Soon, the forest becomes more dominated by deciduous trees again, and you'll arrive at an old field. At its edge stands a long stone ruin, constructed from large boulders. It originated in the decades before the establishment of the nature conservation area, when the Telkkämäki estate intensified cultivation by clearing the land with machinery. The starting and ending point of the route is on the other side of this field.
Important Notes
The Rietulan kierto trail passes through a portion of the journey on a pasture, accessed via steps. Allow the animals to graze in peace. Never feed or approach the animals. Do not bring pets, such as dogs, onto the pasture.
