Lieto Kayaking Routes

This mapped segment is the marked carry around Nautelankoski, the largest rapid on the Aura River in Lieto. On the map it reads as about 0.7 km of portage trail beside the river corridor—one short leg in the longer Aurajoen melontareitti chain from the Aura–Lieto border toward Turku(1)(2). The City of Lieto's Aurajoen melontareitti page states that rapids and carry points are marked and that Aura water levels vary—check before a long paddling day(1). Tammireitit’s distance table places it between the Leinakkalankoski–Nautelankoski paddle (3.9 km) and the short Nautelankoski–Lakokoski section (0.6 km); together with other marked carries, the full river itinerary from the border to Halistenkoski adds up to roughly 20.8 km of paddling plus about 1.2 km of portage paths(2). Nautelankoski is the Aura’s main rapid: Finnish Wikipedia summarises a 17 metre total drop over about 600 metres of channel(3). At the rapid, the Nautelankoski museum pages describe a year-round museum area with mill heritage, café, and paths in the adjacent nature reserve—many paddlers break here even though this page is only the carry path(4). From our route line, the birdwatching tower Nautelan lintutorni sits right along the water-side part of this reach, offering a natural pause for birders and photographers. The carry also sits next to longer hiking and biking threads: Ankka–Nautela luontopolku and the short trails of the Nautelankosken luonnonsuojelualueen polut connect to the same landscape(2), and the wider Aurajoen melontareitti (Lieto) and full Aurajoen melontareitti continue upstream and downstream for multi-hour or multi-day trips. For safety culture on the whole river—lifejackets, respect for private shores, and how to behave at Halistenkoski—Aurajokisäätiö's paddling guidance at Myllärintalo is the practical companion to municipal route descriptions(5).

This mapped segment is the very short land carry around Lakokoski, the small rapid between Nautelankoski and the long flat reach toward Vierunkoski on the Aurajoen melontareitti in Lieto. Unlike the marked Nautelankosken ohituspolku, there is no dedicated footpath here: you land beside the rapid and move boat and kit over a minimal distance without signposted trail infrastructure(1)(2). The City of Lieto's Aurajoen melontareitti page explains that rapids and carry points along the Aura are marked overall and that river levels fluctuate—worth checking before committing to a long day(1). Tammireitit’s published stage list names this leg “Lakokosken ohitus (ei polkua)” and places it immediately after the 0.6 km paddle from Nautelankoski to Lakokoski, before the 6.8 km section on to Vierunkoski(2). Upstream context: Nautelankoski is the Aura’s largest rapid; the Finnish Environment Institute’s Natura site describes the wooded and meadow banks of the Nautelankoski reach as a protected mosaic valued for hiking and education(3). Downstream, the wider Aurajoen melontareitti continues through Lieto toward Liedon Vanhalinna and Turku’s Halistenkoski with additional marked carries(2). Practical paddling culture on the river—life jackets, respect for private shores, and how to use the Halistenkoski area—is summarised by Aurajokisäätiö at Myllärintalo(4). On our line, Nautelan lintutorni sits near the downstream end of this reach, giving a simple reason to pause for birdlife and views over the river corridor. You can combine paddling with walking on Ankka–Nautela luontopolku or the short paths of the Nautelankosken luonnonsuojelualue when you have extra time at Nautela(2).