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Sastamala church pilgrimage – St Olaf route (cycling)

—•Biking Trails

37.2 km

Route

Description

Visit Sastamala – Church pilgrimage+

Description

Visit Sastamala presents the Sastamalan kirkkovaellus, also called Pyhän Olavin reitti locally, as a church-themed outing of about 40 km by bike from the Karkku side of Sastamala through Rautavesi villages and the Kokemäenjoki valley to Keikyä, visiting medieval stone churches and other landmarks along quiet local roads. The trace on our map is about 37 km end to end as one continuous line and is not a loop, which matches that story once small mapping differences are allowed. Wanha-Harsu’s long-running pilgrimage pages add context: the corridor is part of the wider Kokemäenjoki church-pilgrimage tradition, wooden pilgrimage crosses have been placed to improve wayfinding in the field, and two-day stages of about 20 km each are still common for walkers. The national Pyhän Olavin mannerreitti programme ties Sastamala into Finland’s developing mainland pilgrimage network linked to the St Olav trails. For GPX download and open data, the Lipas entry mirrors the same geometry. The City of Sastamala publishes broader cycling policy context and membership in Pyöräilykuntien verkosto. Cyclists following published event programmes have used a start at Karkun Vanha Harsu with stops including Karkun kirkko, Sastamalan Pyhän Marian kirkko, Tyrvään Pyhän Olavin kirkko, Hartolankosken voimalaitos, Kiikan Konttori for lunch, Ruoskakivi, Keikyän riippusilta, and Keikyän kirkko—useful milestones whether you ride independently or join an organised day. Summer church cafés and voluntary coffee collections appear along the church route; event copy also mentioned optional paid bike transport back toward Vammala or Karkku when places were booked in advance. Along our mapped line, expect a mix of village road cycling through former Äetsä, Kaukolan, Vammalan, and Karkku areas with many everyday sports stops beside schools and harbours rather than remote wilderness: Äetsän koulun liikunta-alueelta Kaukolaan, Alasenrannan uimapaikan ohi keskustan lähiliikuntaan kuten Sastamalan petanque- ja padelkentille ja Kunnon Startille, ja Karkun suuntaan Riihipuiston frisbeegolf- ja kuntoportaille sekä Karkun uimarantaan. You can extend a day by linking to nearby signed municipal cycling corridors such as Liekovesi–Kiikka–Keikyä-pyöräilyreitti, Vaununperä–Kaukola–Tyrväänkylä pyöräilyreitti, Rautaveden kierros, or Ellivuori–Ritajärvi-pyöräilyreitti where those traces meet the same junctions.

Length & route

On our map the route is about 37.2 km as a single end-to-end line and is not a loop. Visit Sastamala describes the cycling church pilgrimage as roughly 40 km to Keikyä, with the first walking stage to Tyrvään kirkko in central Vammala cited around 20 km—useful if you split modalities.

Getting there

Visit Sastamala links a printable brochure PDF plus the Lipas page with downloadable GPX for navigation apps. The corridor follows the Pori–Tampere railway, so Karkku and Vammala stations are practical access points; organisers have also described leaving a car in Karkku and returning by train after walking or cycling. Wanha-Harsu at Hyvän Paimenen majatalo, Maakunnantie 17, sells route packs with map, water bottle, bread, and prayer cards for a small fee.

Good to know

Organised pilgrimage openings (for example the national pilgrimage-season launch) have been advertised with free guided rides or walks, optional contributions for church coffee, and timed legs; confirm future dates in Visit Sastamala’s event calendar or Pyhiinvaellus Suomi listings rather than assuming the 2023 schedule still applies. Summer opening hours for church cafés and Kiikan Konttori should be checked directly before touring. The Keikyä suspension bridge is a shared pedestrian and cycle bridge on many itineraries.

History

Visit Sastamala’s regional cycling page notes public church-pilgrim cycling has been offered since 2006 as a themed variant of the Sastamala route. Wanha-Harsu recounts continuous summer pilgrimages starting in 2005 from Wanha-Harsu toward local churches, refreshed wayfinding with new brochures around 2017, and development of Pyhän Olavin mannerreitti ties through the same gateway.

Where to rent bikes

Roll Outdoors Ellivuori at Ellivuori Resort rents electric fatbikes with helmet included; booking and prices are listed on their Ellivuori product page (about 60 € / 3 h or 80 € / day at time of writing). Address Ellivuorentie 131, 38130 Sastamala.

Guided tours & Experiences

Visit Sastamala and partner parishes have marketed an annual spring opening pilgrimage where cyclists or walkers join guided groups; check Pyhiinvaellus Suomi for a sample event listing with schedules and registration notes for the cycling and walking options.

Managed by

Sastamala

Official Maintenance

Trail info

Ride in either direction on the mapped corridor; published pilgrimage events have followed Karkku toward Vammala and onward to Keikyä.

Route direction

Lake

River

Marked Route

Route Signs

Open / Good Condition

Visit Sastamala – Church pilgrimage+

Activities allowed

Hike / Walk

Activity

Bike

Activity

Terrain & conditions

37.2 km

Distance

Budget roughly 2.5–4 hours of easy cycling for about 37–40 km, or most of a day with long church stops, lunch, and photography.

Est. Time

Expect asphalt on busier links near Vammala and compact gravel or fine pavement on quiet village roads beside Rautavesi and Kokemäenjoki, in line with how Visit Sastamala’s regional cycling page documents pavement markings on downloadable PDF maps for other loops in the municipality.

Surface

Point-to-Point, Wide Track

Route Type

Light Traffic

Traffic

Visit Sastamala – Cycling in Sastamala

Location

61.31558°N, 22.79012°E

Approximate location

FinlandCountry

PirkanmaaRegion

SastamalaCity

KarkkuVillage

Biking TrailsCategory

Explore nearby

Äetsän koulun liikuntasali

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Äetsän koulun luistelukenttä

318 m

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Alasenrannan uimapaikka

236 m

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Kallialan pallokenttä

276 m

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Sastamalan petanque-halli

284 m

Kallialan padelhalli

199 m

Karkun kaukalo

149 m

Free

Riihipuiston frisbeegolfrata

152 m

Free

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Answers to your questions

Our data was researched from Sastamala, 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 Pirkanmaa Sastamala Biking TrailsSastamala church pilgrimage – St Olaf route (cycling)