Premium Walking Trails
Premium Walking Trails
Premium Walking Trails are short circular trails with a particularly high experience value. With a length of 3 to 7 km, they are especially tailored to the needs of walkers who value the landscape and nature experiences.
- What are Premium Walking Trails? (in German) (.pdf, 1.652 KB)
- Leaflet Premium Walking Trails (in German) (.pdf, 652 KB)
High quality of experience
Premium Walking Trails are similar to Premium Hiking Trails in their quality requirements. However, the points of interest follow each other more closely in a smaller area. Ideally, monotonous, unpleasant passages are avoided. On these trails, which are often short and within easy reach from towns, the positive assessment of natural trail surfaces is slightly reduced, and the acceptance of hard pavement slightly increased. Ascents are generally less steep and shorter than on Premium Hiking Trails. In return, greater importance is attached to the path infrastructure; signposts and rest areas are mandatory. Nevertheless, the quality demands on Premium Walking Trails are by no means less than on Premium Hiking Trails.
Trail design
Particular attention is paid to the sequence of experiences. This concerns the inclusion of harmonious landscape impressions, the avoidance of unattractive passages, as well as the entire range of suspense of the path, with its effects of variety and surprise. Theme trails or trails designed for special target groups, such as children or disabled people, are specifically evaluated. However, if possible, educational trails or trails based on a too-local theme are avoided.
Walking
More than 90% of our population often or at least occasionally go on walks. However, there are a number of ways to do this. Two types can be distinguished according to their style:
- the strollers, who, for example, stroll through parks and cities or through woods and meadows, walk the dog, or walk more or less spontaneously and aimlessly in well-kept terrain.
- the walkers, who prefer to take slightly longer routes through forests and open fields. These are the people who are mainly considered when planning Premium Walking Trails.
hikes more or less frequently this way, including almost all hikers, but also a quarter of the declared non-hikers, for whom real hiking trails are too long or too tiring.
The range of walking trail types is broad, and the transitions to hiking trails are fluid. For this reason, the description of each trail must clearly indicate the physical demands placed on the trail user.
Shorter distances and more comfortable trails are also popular with ambitious hikers. According to hiking studies, the expectations of valuable experiences are even higher for short distances than for longer hiking trails. This also applies to walkers, who expect a full range of experiences on shorter tours.