Free nature excursions in the Tampere area attracted a total of 415 participants in 2026. Guided excursions were organised to 22 different destinations, including lakeshores, groves, meadows, forests and the banks of the Tammerkoski rapids right in the city centre. Children’s nature walks included visits to the banks of the Vuohenoja stream and the woods of the Peltolammi-Pärrinkoski nature reserve.
The most popular excursion of the year was an English-language mushroom-picking walk organised at Lake Hervantajärvi, which attracted a record 65 participants.
The aim of the excursions is to offer Tampere residents an easy and safe way to explore nature, relax and learn about the environment. The objective is to provide a wide range of nature experiences for all city residents, whilst also taking accessibility into account wherever possible.
– It has been a pleasure to see that the walks are getting Tampere residents out and about and that the destinations are attracting interest, says Jenna Pihlajamäki, the environmental planner responsible for the walks.
The guides for the 2026 excursions are wild herb guide Minna Aarnipuro, nature expert Lasse Kosonen, environmental biologist Tuomas Lilleberg, nature guide Meri Pikkarainen, Martti Rajamäki (MSc in Environmental Sciences) and forest guide Liina Tuominen.
The destinations for the excursions are chosen annually from different parts of the city. The aim is to offer a new destination or theme each year. New nature trails and nature reserves are introduced to city residents during the excursions. This year, the excursion season began during the schools’ winter holidays with an exploration of winter nature.
When selecting destinations, importance is also placed on ensuring that the excursions are accessible by public transport.
– Most of the participants this year did indeed arrive by public transport, by bike or on foot, says Jenna Pihlajamäki.
Suggestions for next year’s excursion destinations or themes can be submitted by sending an email to [email protected] or by sharing your excursion idea at the public evening event "Luonto, ilmasto ja Tampere: Luonto ja hyvinvointi"’ at Tampere City Hall on Thursday 29 November 2026 from 5.30 pm to 7.00 pm.
Throughout the year, visitors can enjoy nature trails maintained by the city in various parts of the city. Information boards along the nature trails provide details about the surrounding natural environment.
