Lempäälä Hiking Trails

The Kulju station village–Pirkkala hiking trail is about 5.2 km point to point in Pirkanmaa. It forms part of the Birgitan polku network between Lempäälä and Pirkkala. For closures, dogs, winter use of the ski-track sections, and the wider trail system, start from the City of Lempäälä’s Birgitan polku pages(1). Visit Lempäälä summarises the network, parking options, yellow route marking, and the rule that dogs must stay on leash(2). The Municipality of Pirkkala also lists regional outdoor routes and notes Birgitan polku as a link between Pirkkala and Lempäälä(3). The trail is not a loop. From the Kulju end it heads toward Pirkkala through lake and forest scenery typical of Birgitan polku. About one kilometre from the start you reach Houkkalammin nuotiopaikka, a maintained campfire site with a small dock by the shore described on the City of Lempäälä’s Birgitan polku pages(1). The same corridor is used in winter as a groomed ski track (including a dog-ski variant aligned with Kuljun asemakylä-Pirkkala (koirahiihtolatu)); when snow grooming is in use, walkers should keep to the edges of the ski track so the surface stays skiable(1)(2). Nearby, the short Birgitan polku - Houkkalammi hiking spur meets this area, and longer ski and fitness routes such as Latu Hakkari-Kulju and Kuntopolku Hakkari-Kulju share the same general Kulju–Hakkari corridor with additional lean-tos on those lines. Luontopolkumies wrote a long walk-through of Birgitan polku on Retkipaikka with practical notes on rocky ground, boardwalks, and how yellow markings appear in the forest—useful background if you are planning several sections of the network, not only this line(4).

Little Birgitta is a short, linear section of the Birgitta Trail in Lempäälä, Pirkanmaa. On our map it is about 1.6 km and is not a loop; it works well as a quick nature walk close to the town centre and links into the much longer Birgitta Trail network. Luontoon.fi lists this segment under the name Birgitan polku / Pikku Birgitta for Lempäälä(1). For closures, firewood at shared rest spots, winter behaviour on ski-adapted sections elsewhere on the network, and the full list of parking and rest areas around Lempäälä, the City of Lempäälä’s Birgitan polku pages are the main municipal reference(2). Visit Lempäälä describes the wider circular Birgitta Trail—roughly fifty kilometres of marked hiking around Lempäälä’s lake and forest landscapes, named after the historic Church of Saint Birgitta—and notes yellow trail markings, dogs on a leash, and public transport links from Tampere(3). This segment is best understood as part of that system: walkers who want laavut, campfire sites, and longer day hikes continue on Birgitta Trail, while Little Birgitta suits a brief outing before or after visiting Lempäälä. Retkipaikka’s Luontopolkumies walked sections of Birgitta Trail in 2023 and 2024, praising waymarks and rest spots such as Kirskaanniemi on longer legs, and reminding readers to follow yellow markings where side paths branch(4)—useful background if you join the main trail from this short piece. Lempäälä lies in Pirkanmaa south of Tampere. The Birgitta Trail was chosen as Finland’s Hiking Destination of the Year in 2006; the name honours the medieval Church of Saint Birgitta, a well-known local landmark.

This page covers the Houkkalammi section of Birgitan polku in Lempäälä, Pirkanmaa: a very short mapped loop of about 0.1 km around the Houkkalammi pond campfire site on the wider Birgitan polku hiking network. For planning the full roughly 50 km circular trail, fire rules, winter behaviour near groomed ski tracks, and up-to-date service notes, start with the City of Lempäälä Birgitan polku page(1). Visit Lempäälä summarises the route, parking options aimed at Ammejärvi, Kaitajärvi, and Houkkalammi from Sääksjärvi, and links to a municipal YouTube overview(2). Metsähallitus also publishes Birgitan polku on Luontoon.fi for map browsing and core route facts(3). Mika Markkanen’s Retkipaikka walk-through of Birgitan polku adds practical colour on wayfinding and terrain along the yellow-marked network(4). At Houkkalammi the character shifts toward a more backwoods feel than on some lakeside picnic stretches. The City of Lempäälä describes this stretch as more demanding for small children, with rocky forest, different-aged cut blocks, and pockets of rich deciduous forest where spring flowers such as hepatica appear(1). To the north the main route passes beside the Perimmäinen old-growth reserve, which protects older forest species in the municipality(1). The Houkkalammin nuotiopaikka rest point sits by the pond; a community-built and maintained dock at the shore is intended for enjoying the small-lake setting(1)(2). Fires are allowed only at official fireplaces on Birgitan polku, and grass or forest fire warnings override all burning(1). This segment sits on the same marked Birgitan polku system as the long Birgitta Trail loop through Lempäälä and links logically to the Kulju station village–Pirkkala hiking connection and the parallel ski track where winter grooming applies—walkers should use the edge of the ski track there when snow is groomed(1). Lempäälä is easy to combine with a day trip from Tampere by bus or train(2).

The Birgitta Trail (Birgitan polku) is a long-distance hiking route in Lempäälä in Pirkanmaa, near Tampere. On our map the trail is about 64 km from start to finish as one continuous line and is not a closed loop. The City of Lempäälä and regional tourism pages describe roughly 50 km of marked hiking on a ring-shaped trail network through lake and forest landscapes, with many entry points and link paths—so total distance depends on which sections you combine(1)(2). The route was chosen as Finland’s Hiking Destination of the Year in 2006(1)(3). For the latest on parking, lean-tos, winter overlap with ski tracks, fire rules, and downloadable maps, start from the City of Lempäälä’s Birgitan polku pages(1). The trail is named after Lempäälä’s landmark medieval Church of Saint Birgitta(1)(2). It runs mainly through private commercial forests where forestry work continues, so views can shift between young stands, older forest, rocky moraine, small bogs, and openings toward lake surfaces(1)(2). Visit Lempäälä notes yellow markings on posts and trees and states that dogs are welcome on leash(2). From the north, the line soon reaches Kaitajärven kota and passes Ammejärven laavu, Siisjärven laavu, and Saarikonmäen laavu—useful early stops with fireplaces and shelters in typical ridge-and-lake scenery. Around the Hakkari–Kulju corridor the hiking trail shares ground with winter ski and fitness routes: Latu Hakkari–Kulju, Kuntopolku Hakkari–Kulju, Hakkarin hiihtoladut, and Hakkarin kuntopolut pass the same lean-to cluster at Saarikonmäen laavu, and when grooming is active you should walk at the edge of the ski track so the surface stays skiable(1)(2). Farther on, Houkkalammin nuotiopaikka sits on a more remote-feeling section where the short Birgitan polku - Houkkalammi spur meets the main network; the longer Retkeilyreitti Kuljun asemakylä–Pirkkala hiking line and its parallel dog-ski track use the same general corridor toward Pirkkala(1). Herralankosken kalastuspaikka and Herralankosken laavu, then Lempoisten uimaranta and related shore facilities, bring you through mixed shore and village edge before the route swings toward Kirskaanniemen laavu—one of the most popular picnic areas on the whole network, with multiple fire sites and views toward open water(1)(2). Past Vähä-Riutan kotus the trail connects conceptually toward Kaarinanpolku, and the Pyhäjärven maisemareitti ja Pyhäjärven kierros cycling circuit crosses the same broad lake-and-town fabric toward Tampere. The last kilometres pass Kyynärön laavu and Vähä-Kausjärven laavukota and Vähä-Kausjärven nuotiopaikka, ending near forest ponds and quiet shoreline(1). The Municipality of Pirkkala lists regional outdoor routes where Birgitan polku ties Lempäälä together with Pirkkala’s shore and forest network(4). Luontopolkumies on Retkipaikka describes boardwalks, rocky moraine, spring moisture, and how easy it is to confuse nearby paths where several markings meet—worth reading if you plan a long day or link sections near Koipitaipale(5). Visit Tampere offers a compact regional introduction with the same practical themes: short walks to multi-day hikes, many rest spots, and no drinking water taps along the route—carry what you need(3). The City of Lempäälä publishes a short YouTube introduction filmed on the trail; see our video field for a quick visual overview. Lempäälä lies in Pirkanmaa. The Birgitan polku network is an easy day trip from Tampere by bus or train plus a short walk(1)(2)(3).