Premium Walking Trails
Quality criteria for Premium Walking Trails (excerpt)
Positive
- semi-natural trail surfaces, winding paths, green trail margins
- open forests, mature trees, clearings, park scenery
- attractive meadow landscape, complemented by copses, framed by forest
- trails along forest edges, shorelines, avenue-like tree rows, hedges
- hills, mountains, rocks, ravines
- pristine streams, ponds, and lakes, waterfalls and water features
- unique natural conditions, rare biotopes
- unobstructed views with expanse and depth, eye-catchers, idyllic areas
- cultural sights, monuments, picturesque townscapes
- rural gastronomy (open from noon), possibilities of refreshments
- variety, surprises, harmonious landscapes
- specific topics, target group orientation
Negative
- asphalt, composite surfaces, mud, coarse stone rubble, straight rail trails
- designation as bicycle path, alongside or on streets
- monotonous, stripped, disorderly, littered areas
- dreary managed forest, intensive agriculture
- view of trivial settlements, industrial areas, traffic arteries
- traffic and industry noise, stench, air pollution
- technical installations, multi-mast plants, airfields
- long or steep ascents, rough terrain, risky trails
Criteria for exclusion (guide values)
- composite surface > 20% (except for sections with high attractiveness; designed trail surface, e.g., special pavings, do not have to be assessed as composite surface)
- coarse gravel > 5%
- alongside through roads > 10%, if busy or multi-lane > 5%
- on through roads with heavy/moderate/rare traffic > 0%/3%/10%, narrow stretches without possibility of avoiding traffic > 50m
- difficult to walk > 2%
- total ascent in meters of altitude > 5% of the total trail length
- slopes > 20% (no relief through steps, stairs, or serpentines, or no resting plateaus on longer ascents)
- insufficient markings, or equipment with signposts and resting opportunities (minimum number amounting to the number of kilometers with one bench each kilometer)
- misleading guidance system