Pöytyä

Pöytyä is a mostly rural municipality in the inland of Finland Proper, including also the former municipalities of Karinainen and Yläne. This article additionally covers the neighbouring municipality of Aura.

There are cultural landscapes around Aurajoki, with churches, old mills, and a restored wolf pit, valuable bogs in a few locations, lakes and small rivers. The current and former municipal centres are small towns with 1,000–3,000 inhabitants.

Understand


Pöytyä has a population of 8,000 people on 774 km². The current centre is Kyrö (pop. 2,000), former centre of Karinainen as a result of the now defunct railway station. The parish village of Karinainen is 3.5 km away. Other centres are Riihikoski (pop. 1,500) near the former parish village of Pöytyä, and Yläne (pop. 1,000), the former parish village of the namesake parish. Yläne is in the north-west, Karinainen in the south-east and the former Pöytyä in between. Aura in the south has 4,000 inhabitants, 2,700 of whom live by the former station, 5 km north of the much smaller parish village.

In the north Pöytyä borders the large lake Pyhäjärvi (not to be confused with its many namesakes), Eura and Säkylä of the region Satakunta, and Oripää; in the north-west Mynämäki (including Karjala); in the south Aura, Lieto (including Tarvasjoki) and Marttila; and in the east Loimaa (including Mellilä).

Aura in turn lies between Paattinen in the Turku countryside to the west, Pöytyä to the north and Lieto to the south, with Lieto station just across the border.

The area is mostly agricultural, especially around Aurajoki, with woods farther away and at bogs and hills not suitable for growing crops. Important wetlands include Kontolanrahka, the ones of Vaskijärvi nature reserve and some bogs of Kurjenrahka National Park.

Some industry developed early on in what now is Aura and grew quickly with the railroad. As the station settlement grew, the Prunkkala chapel of Lieto and the station settlement, part of Pöytyä, became an independent parish. In 1917 the worldly administration followed suit as the municipality Aura, named after the river and the station (which became defunct in 1999 and demolished in 2002).

In addition to the southern end of Pyhäjärvi, Pöytyä includes the lakes Elijärvi, Vaskijärvi, most of Savojärvi, and some smaller lakes. The river Aurajoki has its sources just north-east of the municipal borders and its river valley forms the central part of Aura and former Pöytyä. Yläneenjoki has a similar role in Yläne. Aura has no lakes, but a tip of it reaches Kuhankuono in Kurjenrahka.

The climate resembles that of southern Finland in general, but is somewhat more continental than on the coast, with more reliable snow cover in winter.



Get in


Highway 9 (E63; Valtatie) from Turku to Loimaa, Humppila and Tampere passes through Aura and Karinainen, leading by Kyrö. Road 41 (Kantatie) leads from Aura (the junction is known as Auranportti) via Riihikoski to Oripää, Huittinen and Tampere. The older road toward Tampere (road 222) is known as Vanha Tampereentie in Turku but changes names to Turuntie as it leads via Aura parish village to the station settlement. Turuntie in Pöytyä (road 2255) more or less connects to this road, continuing through Riihikoski to Oripää. These roads are a more scenic alternative to the highways, as they lead through the cultural landscapes by Aurajoki.

Regional road 204 (Säkyläntie, Turunväylä) leads from Lieto by the national park and Yläne to Säkylä. Regional road 210 leads from Loimaa via Oripää to Yläne and onwards to Lappi at Highway 12 from Rauma. Regional road 224 leads from Salo to Aura. Road 2020 leads from Mynämäki to Yläne. Road 2042 leads to Aura from Saksala (Rantapiha) and Tortinmäki by Kurjenrahka National Park.

The trains between Turku and Tampere, with nearly hourly services in daytime, stop in Loimaa, which may be more convenient than Turku in some situations. The stations of Kyrö, Aura and Lieto are closed.

The express coaches on roads 9, 41 and 204 stop at junctions to the centres and some other key stops. There are also regular services. See Matkahuolto.

By bike, cycleways from Turku along Vanha Tampereentie (road 222) end at Lieto station. Continuing by that road, shoulders are narrow but speeds and traffic moderate. The main roads (at least E63 and road 204) cannot be recommended for biking. There is a terrain biking route from Turku to the national park. Bikes can be taken on most coaches, except the Onnibus Mega, for a fee varying by company and distance, usually about €6.

By bus
The coaches are the main public transport in the area.

By bicycle
There are few cycleways. The thoroughfares are mostly unusable (high speeds, narrow shoulders), but there are smaller roads between most places (as alternatives or the only ones; sometimes winding gravel roads, although usable with normal bikes). Traffic on smaller roads may be fast for the road, keep to the right. You should probably check that a route is viable before trying it with children.

See


The main attraction in the area is Kurjenrahka National Park. It is served by the Luontokapinetti in Yläne centre, Kurjenpesä in the park and Rantapiha by Savojärvi (in Nousiainen). Vaskijärvi Nature Reserve lies on the trail from Elijärvi to the park.

There is also a range of other natural and cultural sights, including rapids with old mills, churches and a restored wolf pit.



Do



 * Swim by the shores of Salojärvi, Elijärvi, Pyhäjärvi or some other lake.
 * Social dancing; Aura and Yläne have two of the most popular dance venues in all the region, with dances in winter and summer respectively.
 * Social dancing; Aura and Yläne have two of the most popular dance venues in all the region, with dances in winter and summer respectively.

Buy
There are supermarkets at least in Aura, Kyrö, Riihikoski and Yläne, which also have a range of other kinds of shops and basic services.



Eat and drink
Few proper restaurants. Lunch is available in weekdays at some cafés and catering businesses. Some lodgings serve meals (you may need to book in advance). Also some fuel stations by the main roads serve proper meals.



Sleep
One of the regions where variants of bed and breakfast, cottages and camping are the main options. Wild camping according to the right to access is possible.

Camping
There are camping areas at least at Valasranta, Rantapiha and Elijärvi. For the national park, Vaskijärvi and related trails, see Kurjenrahka National Park.

Backcountry
Outside protected or built-up areas, right to access applies. Note the national park, nature reserves and the military area of Raasi (north of the national park), and look for a little bigger woods, where you are unlikely to be seen by passers-by – or better yet: use the designated sites at hiking trails.

Stay safe
The area is safe. Walking on roads in dusk or darkness, reflectors are essential and reflective vests can be recommended. For wildlife, normal advice applies; wildlife has not been acquainted to hikers' food.