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Aittalahti nature trail

—•Hiking Trails

1.5 km

Route

Aittalahden lintutorni

1.4 km|Free

Scenic Lookout Towers

Description

Raahen kaupunki – Luontopolut+

Description

The Aittalahti nature trail is about 1.5 km of signed walking by Aittalahti bay on the southwest side of Raahe in North Ostrobothnia. Raahen kaupunki lists nature trails and links the outdoor map with trailheads, shelters and bird towers. Visit Raahe rounds up regional hiking and biking ideas and etiquette for coastal rest areas. The path is mostly easy and flat with short rootier stretches, yellow-topped posts marking the way, and duckboards along the shore where the ground is wet. About 1.5 km into the walk you reach the Aittalahden lintutorni lookout: a roughly seven-metre Corten-steel tower in a shell-like spiral form, completed in 2008 as a SSAB steel showcase project with Outi Palosaari as lead architect, according to contemporary press cited by Taipaleita. Near the tower there is a campfire and picnic setup and a bench facing the water; Taipaleita also notes parking and an information board by Lapaluodontie. The trail runs near a freight railway line that once carried passengers until 1966—use normal caution at crossings. Järvi-meriwiki, aggregating Finnish Environment Institute lake data and local contributions, describes Aittalahti as one of Raahe’s most important bird lakes and lists flagship species such as marsh harrier, black-throated diver, gadwall and common pochard; the bay was reshaped in the 2000s with dredging, new islets and water management, and later an aerator was added to address oxygen issues. The same article notes that a roughly three-kilometre lakeside nature trail with a tower and two campfire sites was upgraded around 2007–2008, but that industrial expansion has since left a gap of about half a kilometre where the loop cannot be completed on the nature path alone. Cyclists on the long-distance Flatland Route pass the same bird-tower area as part of the Raahe stage; Visit Raahe outlines the 320 km circuit and its coastal villages. On foot, Varvin luontopolku, Raahe offers a separate seaside nature loop closer to the old town if you want another short hike the same day.

Length & route

The mapped walking line is about 1.5 km one way along the marked nature path. Field accounts describe a slightly shorter main path plus an optional return along Lapaluodontie pavement that forms a roughly 2 km circuit if you walk back to the start by road. Järvi-meriwiki notes that roughly half a kilometre of the bay loop cannot be walked on the nature trail because of a break next to industrial expansion.

Getting there

Taipaleita describes the start at Länsikalkka 3, Raahe. Approaching from the Lapaluodontie roundabout, parking and the bird tower sit to the left; the bay loop path begins on the other side of Lapaluodontie beyond a small culvert crossing, with an information board at the trailhead. Raahen kaupunki links the outdoor GIS map from the same nature-trails index for precise coordinates.

Good to know

Follow everyman’s rights and only light fires in signed spots; Visit Raahe reminds hikers that firewood is not guaranteed at lean-tos. Any fishing on the lake follows normal licence rules; Taipaleita and Raahen kaupunki mention perch and pike stocking for anglers. Check Raahen kaupunki pages for the latest maintenance status if signage or duckboards look worn.

History

Järvi-meriwikin Aittalahti-artikkeli kertoo lahden vanhasta nimityksestä Someronlahti vuoden 1954 kartassa ja rajasta Raahen ja Saloisten välillä. Lahti on entinen merenlahti, jonka yhteys mereen on maankohoamisen myötä katkennut; vielä 1940-luvulla merivesi voi tietyllä tuulella nousta rannoille. Vuonna 1946 Raahen kaupunginvaltuusto myönsi määrärahan kuivatussuunnitteluun, ja 2000-luvulla lahti on ruopattu ja sen hydrologiaa on ohjattu uudella laskuojalla ja pumpulla. Historiallisesti lahden rannalla on ollut Saloisten satama ja markkinapaikka, josta kerrotaan jo keskiaikaisista hävitysretkistä ja myöhemmästä kaupankäynnistä ennen sataman siirtymistä pohjoisemmaksi perustettuun Raaheen.

Managed by

Raahe

Official Maintenance

08 439 3111

Trail info

Recreation Area

Lake

yellow

Route Signs

Activities allowed

Hike / Walk

Activity

Terrain & conditions

1.5 km

Distance

about 30–45 minutes for the main path; allow up to about 1 hour if you amble, use the tower and pause at the shore

Est. Time

Dirt

Surface

Point-to-Point, Single Track

Route Type

Light Traffic

Traffic

Partial Shade

Shade

2007–2008 (lakeside trail works per Järviwiki); 2008 (bird tower per Taipaleita)

Renovation years

Location

64.66807°N, 24.43782°E

Approximate location

FinlandCountry

North OstrobothniaRegion

RaaheCity

Hiking TrailsCategory

Explore nearby

Tasku-Thompson jäälatu

278 m

Free

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Answers to your questions

Our data was researched from Raahe, and other trusted sources, in March 2026. Our route / place GPX data comes from Metsähallitus / Lipas, last updated March 2026. Always check their official website for safety-critical updates.

Finland North Ostrobothnia Raahe Hiking TrailsAittalahti nature trail