Marttila

Marttila (Swedish: S:t Mårtens) is a small town and municipality in Finland Proper. This article covers also Koski (Koskis) in the north-east.

Understand

Marttila has some 2,000 inhabitants, half of the in the centre, which is the only major settlement. Koski has 2,300 inhabitants, likewise with half of them in the centre.

The word Koski means rapids and indeed, Koski has several of them along Paimionjoki, with former mills for grain and industry. Koski has many namesakes, but only one used to be a municipality. To distinguish between the two, Koski is often called Koski Tl (for the former province).

Get in

Highway 10 and Hämeen Härkätie between Turku and Hämeenlinna pass through Marttila and Koski, the latter through the centres, the former 2½ km north of them. Hämeen Härkätie is a historic route with medieval heritage. Highway 10 passes also Jokioinen and Forssa.

Road 224 leads from Salo via Marttila to Aura. Salo is on Highway 1; this is probably the most convenient route from Helsinki by car. Road 181 leads from Kimitoön via Paimio to Highway 10 in Tarvasjoki, 10 km west of Marttila.

Road 2407 starts 7 km north of Salo on Highway 52 (towards Somero) and leads to Koski. Road 2810 leads from Somero to Koski.

By bus

Express coaches along Highway 10 (often Turku–Hämeenlinna–Lahti) stop at the highway junctions (from Turku to Marttila: €7–9, 30 min). The regular services, few in weekends, from Turku to Koski or Somero drive through also the Marttila centre, 45 min. See Matkahuolto.

From farther away with no direct connections, you should probably transfer in Hämeenlinna, Somero or Turku. Forssa may also be possible.

See

Marttila
  • 🌍 St. Martin's Church (Pyhän Martin kirkko), Kirkkotie 3 (in the centre), ☏ +358 44-774-5202 (info desk of the parish of Salo), . A wooden Lutheran church from 1765, designed by Antti Piimänen. There is also a small museum in the church, open by agreement. (updated Aug 2023)
  • 🌍 Marttila Local Museum (Marttila kotiseutumuseo), Härkätie 720 (near the municipal library), ☏ +358 440-845-505 (the library). About Jun–Jul W 14:00–18:00 Su 12:00–16:00. Local museum in granaries built by imperial order in 1852–1859. In the vicinity there is a memorial to one of the last executions in Finland in peacetime, in 1824. The sentence was to be converted to lifetime prison, but the convicted wanted to redeem his murdering his father (by mistake in a confrontation) by getting executed; thus he was decapitated by axe. (updated Aug 2023)

Koski
  • 🌍 Koski Church (Kosken kirkko), Maijankuja 6, ☏ +358 44-774-5202 (info desk of the parish of Salo), . A Neoclassical stone Lutheran church from 1935, designed by Toivo Paatela. (updated Nov 2023)
  • 🌍 Yrjö Liipola Art Museum (Yrjö Liipolan taidemuseo), Museotie 1 (near the Koski Cemetery), ☏ +358 45 7833 3510. An art gallery dedicated to the sculptures by Professor Yrjö Liipola (1881–1971). Adults €6, pensioners €4, and children (7–15 years) €1; guidance for group €35. (updated Nov 2023)

Do
  • Hirvasoja Nature Trail. 
  • 🌍 Kumpulanrannan jokipolku (starting point by the churchyard, the church's parking may be used). 1.4-km walk along the river, marked with blue bands; return by the cycleway. Depending on weather, the path can be muddy. Free. 
  • 🌍 Kylämäki Horse Farm (Kylämäen Hevostila), Hallintie 31 (in Ylikylä), ☏ +358 44-484-5800, . Riding with Finnhorses. Lodging, meals (by agreement, also takeaway) and programme services. Tour riding in the terrain for groups of 2–10. Also two-day riding with lodging at the farm. Riding lessons in groups of 4–6. Riding: groups of 4–10 1/2/3 hr €40/60/80 per person, 5 hr with snack break €120/person, group of two €100/hr, beginner terrain 1 hr €50/person. (updated Aug 2023)
  • 🌍 Laurilan lava, Salontie 544 (2.7 km south from the Härkätie/Salontie crossroads), ☏ +358 500-527-088, . Apr–Sep Sa 19:00–23:30, sometimes also Su. Dance pavilion. 
  • 🌍 Palainen beach (Palaisten uimapaikka), Palaistentie 436 (from the church, drive 3 km north-east along Härkätie, to Palainen, turn over the bridge to Palaistentie, drive 4 km for the beach as signposted), ☏ +358 44-744-9410, . Beach 24 hr daily; sauna Sep–Apr Tu F 15:00–20:00. Beach at a sandpit pond. Changing cubicles, toilets, water, tent site. The sauna can be used at public hours (pay by cash, exact change?) or booked for private use at other times (self service, electric stove). Free; sauna €3/person, private sauna €30/40 for 3 hr summer/winter. 
  • 🌍 Silver River, Heinojantie 69, Prunkila (cross the river 5 km west of the church along Härkätie, turn right to Heinojantie, drive 650 m more), ☏ +358 50-556-8920, . Cottages, rooms; canoeing, bow and arrow or paintball shooting, sumo wrestling and other activities. lodging €30–70; 2-hour canoeing trip with guide €150/6 pers, canoe two hours €16, one day €30. (updated Feb 2017)

Marttilankorpi

🌍 Marttilan Korven eräreitistö. 24 hr daily. A wilderness-like hiking area with trails, shelters etc. with mostly wooded mires and a mosaic of rocky forest. Free. 

The main trailheads are at Huhtaanmaja of Heikola in the south-west (see Sleep below) and at Palainen beach (see its entry above) in the north-west. Huhtaanmäentie connects the two trailheads via a parking halfway. There is a trailhead also at the Raatala shelter. Maps are available as PDF (check the "kartat" links).

Huhtanmäki offers two circle trails, which can be combined to routes of 2.5, 4 or 5 km, and two sidetrips of 2×300 m. Palainen has a 6.7-km loop, a trail to another loop (for e.g. 6.7+2×2+2 km) and trails to secondary trailheads (the parking 1 km, Raatala, with shelter, 6.7 km). There is also a 4.5-km link between the Huhtaanmaja and Palainen trails, 6.5 km for hiking directly between the two. A hike from Huhtaanmaja to Palainen, hiking also most of the circle trails, would be 25 km.

The area has lean-to shelters, tent sites, campfire sites (mind wildfire warnings), dry toilets, the beach and the cottage. Some sights are marked on the map, including a few lookouts, a badger's sett, a "devil's field" (shingle beach) and old-growth woods. Water should be available at the main trailheads.

Buy
  • 🌍 Sale Marttila, Härkätie 747. M–Sa 08:00–21:00, Su 09:00–21:00. A grocery store. (updated Aug 2023)
  • 🌍 Sale Koski Tl, Hämeentie 23. M–Sa 08:00–21:00, Su 09:00–21:00. A grocery store. (updated Nov 2023)
  • 🌍 K-Market Munkki, Pappilantie 2 (in Koski). M–F 08:00–20:00, Sa 08:00–18:00, Su 10:00–15:00. A grocery store. (updated Nov 2023)

Eat

Sleep

There are no hotels, but lodging is available in connection with some activities, or at those places without using other services. If looking at aggregator sites, check that the suggested locations are indeed in the area.

Wild camping is not recommended, as there aren't any large woods, but there are designated spots and lean-to shelters along the trails of Marttilan Korven eräreitistö.

  • 🌍 Huhtaanmaja (5.5 km south-east of the centre: take Heikolantie by the church for 3.7 km, turn left and right at the T, then Karkunpääntie, as this road turns after 1 km, continue straight by Huhtaanmäentie for 600 m), ☏ +358 40-461-4749, . Usually unavailable in Fridays. Cottage by the hiking routes of Marttilankorpi, run by the village community. Sleeping capacity for about 10 people upstairs (probably without proper beds). Electricity, running cold water, sauna, campfire site. Use own linens or sleeping bags. €50 for day visit without sauna (max 4 hr), overnighting €75 for 4 people, €15 for each additional one. 

Lodging is available also at Kylämäki Horse Farm and Silver River, see above.

Connect

Go next
Routes through Marttila
Turku ← Turku countryside ←  SW  NE  → Somero → Hämeenlinna


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