Central Finland Route
The Central Finland route extends from Helsinki to Jyväskylä, a length of 312 km, passing through various types of landscape as well as interesting visitor attractions to suit every taste.
The first leg of the journey shifts between urban and agricultural terrain before proceeding through ridge scenery. Finally, the course trails along the stunning coastline of Finland’s third largest lake, Lake Päijänne, towards Jyväskylä, which is the regional hub of Central Finland. Culture, agriculture and forestry, luscious coastal sceneries, picturesque municipalities and villages, vibrant towns with their diverse amenities – the Central Finland route offers all this and more.
Central Finland Route - Detailed description of the route
Helsinki – Lahti 128 km
The journey begins in Helsinki, the capital of Finland. The route winds through Vantaa, the former parish of Helsinki, and on past the old cultural landscapes of Central Uusimaa to the birthplace of the Lake Tuusula art community. This is the location of Rantatie, the museum road tracing the shoreline of Lake Tuusula. The journey continues via Järvenpää, the hometown of Sibelius, towards the iron works area of Kellokoski. From here the cycle route passes through southern Finnish agricultural scenery to Mäntsälä, famous for its manor houses. The stretch from Mäntsälä to Pukkila passes through woodland areas before carrying on to the geographical centre of Finland, Orimattila, through shifting terrain amidst beautiful countryside and villages. The journey proceeds to Lahti, an internationally renowned city of sports. Lahti and the surrounding areas provide versatile services and visitor attractions – there is a great deal to do and see here!
Lahti – Jyväskylä 184 km
From Lahti the route heads towards Asikkala, where the picturesque and pleasant surroundings of the Vääksy Canal beckon for a break. The spectacular scenery of Lake Päijänne can be enjoyed along the 8km Pulkkilanharju Ridge, which offers a chance to unwind amidst stunning nature and unique serenity. The so-called landscape road leads to Sysmä and Luhanka. Waterways appear in all their splendour, both to the right and left – the view is of Häme rural scenery at its best! After Luhanka, Kärkistensalmi Bridge, situated on the narrowest part of Lake Päijänne, brings the journey to a halt for a moment – the panorama over the expanse of the open lake is stunning! The route proceeds via Korpilahti and Muurame amidst central Finnish nature towards Säynätsalo, a striking archipelago district of Jyväskylä. The Central Finland route terminates in the dynamic university city of Jyväskylä, welcoming visitors with all its amenities and sights.
Route Difficulty
The route is suitable for those who are fit and have previous experience of cycling. An array of visitor attractions can be found along the way. Daily distances can be maintained at a reasonable level as accommodation is generally available every 30 kilometres. Meandering and shifting terrain sets its own requirements, and the bigger hills (between Sysmä and Jyväskylä) make the route fairly challenging at times. The route has been planned to favour roads with little traffic and avoid busy roads, although the roads can be narrow and sometimes without verges. Traffic can be heavy on the main road sections (NB! heavy lorry traffic), which require extra caution.
Accessibility
The route can be followed either from Helsinki to Jyväskylä or from Jyväskylä to Helsinki. If you wish, you can also break the journey into shorter cycling trips as Helsinki to Lahti or Lahti to Jyväskylä.
The Central Finland route guide contains road maps on a scale of 1:100 000 and city maps on a scale of 1:20 000. There are separate cycling maps available for Jyväskylä, Lahti and the capital region.
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