Outdoor trails and hiking sites
In Kerava, you can visit the outdoors in local nature and in the urban built-up area. Walk on nature trails, ski, skate and bike, throw frisbees, tour guided nature and culture trails and spend time with your kids on playgrounds. Kerava offers a rich and diverse natural environment for all nature lovers and enthusiasts
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Haukkavuori is a regionally valuable nature site that is protected as a nature reserve. At Haukkavuori, visitors can get an inkling of how the areas around the Keravanjoki river looked like in the past. The area is home to the most valuable and extensive herb-rich forests in Kerava as well as primeval-like spruce forests.
The size of the nature reserve is about 12 hectares. The tallest hill in the area, the rocky Haukkavuori, rises about 35 meters above Keravanjoki river. The nature reserve has a marked nature trail with a total length of 2.8 kilometres.
Location
The nature reserve is located along the Keravanjoki river in the northern part of Kerava. Haukkavuori can be reached from Kaskelantie, along which there is a parking area and a signboard. The trail starts from the parking area and runs across the fields.
Locally valuable nature and hiking sites
In addition to Haukkavuori, there are nature and hiking sites worth experiencing in the eastern and northeastern parts of the city. Forests owned by the city are common recreation areas for all residents and can be used freely by observing everyman’s rights.
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Ollilanlampi is the largest pond in Kerava and, along with its peat bogs, forms an interesting nature and hiking site. The area around Ollilanlampi is in active use, and between the pond and the peat bog north of it is a duckboard trail that connects to the forest trails in the surrounding area.
Location
Ollilanlampi is located in the eastern part of Kerava in the Ahjo outdoor recreation area. The parking area closest to Ollilanlampi is located at Keupirtti. From Vanha Lahdentie, turn onto Talmantie and take the first right to the road to the north, which leads to Keupirtti.
The pond can also be reached by walking the sawdust running track.
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The aspen forest in Kytömaa is 4.3 hectares in area. The forest has a special atmosphere, as there is a lot of decayed wood on the forest floor and a fair few standing dead trees.
Location
Kytömaa aspen forest is located in the northern part of Kerava, between the railway and Kytömaantie. The forest can be reached by turning north from Koivulantie onto Kytömaantie. On the left side of the road is a small widening where you can park the car.
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The Myllypuro meander river valley, which is one of Kerava’s most valuable small natural waters, is about 50 meters wide, 5-7 meters deep and covers an area of just over 2 hectares. The Myllypuro stream running at the bottom of the valley is a few metres wide. From the rocky northern end, the stream meanders about 500 metres down to the southern end of the valley.
Location
The Myllypuro meander river valley is located in the northern part of Kerava, immediately south of Koivulantie, between Koivulantie and the motorway. There are no suitable parking areas in the vicinity of the area, so it is worth visiting the valley by bike or on foot.
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Salmela herb-rich forest and water meadow has a rich flora, with a length of about 400 metres and an area of 2.5 hectares.
Location
The Salmela herb-rich forest is situated south of Salmela farm in the northeastern part of Kerava by the Keravanjoki river. The forest can be reached from Kaskelantie by walking along the Keravanjoki river. You can park your car in the yard of the deserted old Seuraintalo.
Salmela farm is a private property, and trespassing is not permitted even under everyman’s rights.
Campfire sites maintained by the city
There are a total of six campfire sites maintained by the city in Haukkavuori, Ollilanlampi and Keinukallio, where you can take a break to eat snacks, grill sausages and enjoy nature. All campfire sites have woodsheds with firewood available for anyone to use. However, the city cannot guarantee that firewood is available at all times, as the demand for it varies and there may be delays in refilling the sheds.
Lighting a fire at campfire sites is allowed when there is no forest fire warning in force. Always remember to put out the fire before leaving the campfire site. Do not cut branches or cut down trees near campfire sites or tear bark from trees for kindling. Good hiking etiquette also includes taking your trash with you home or to the nearest bin.
You can find the exact locations of campfire sites maintained by the city on the map below. In addition to the campfire sites shown on the map, Kerava residents also have access to the Nikuviken campfire site in Porvoo, which can be used without a reservation.