Germany still finds it difficult to allow mountain bikers to ride on existing narrow trails. People prefer to build their own trails for them. The district of Waldeck-Frankenberg, located in the north-west of the federal state of Hesse, now wants to make a big splash under the name Greentrails. 14 municipalities will each have their own trail center. The aim is to create 200 kilometers of bike trails by 2026.

The 14 trail centers will be connected via a further 200 kilometers of existing trails. This is therefore a signalling project. 400 kilometers of connected paths and trails are more than Germany's flagship project in Freiburg. Whereby there an association and thus the bikers themselves have realized everything. The Greentrails are a public sector project.

20 million euros for beginner trails

The funding is definitely of a different dimension: the EU is contributing 20 million euros via its rural development funding program. According to media reports, the region is also hoping for an impact on tourism. The trails are therefore not just intended for the local population.

They are also intended for everyone, from beginners to experts. They should be built accordingly. Responsible for ensuring that it turns out that way is trail-building corphe Diddie Schneider. The German has been building trails all over the world since the nineties. He is joined by Thomas Schlecking and the Bioline planning office.

The design for the masses doesn't necessarily promise experienced trail bikers a serpentine spectacle. But if Diddie Schneider is the designer, it could still be interesting. Construction should actually have started in 2022. However, none of the 14 trail centers on the project website are under construction yet. The green trails should be complete by 2026.