Category: Articles

Granitis Trail Certification

Granitis Trail Certification

 

The second Green Flag Trails certification in Greece is a fact! The Granitis Trail has been officialy certified with the only global certification for trails, the Green Flag Trails!
 
Thanks to the tremendous efforts of Nikos Bourlivas, who has created the Granitis Trail, and the kind sponsorship and support Raycap, the trail has been audited and got certified by the World Trails Network, owner of Green Flag Trails!
 
Together with Kythera Trails, Grece has now two certified trail networks by the Green Flag Trails.
 
The auditing of the Granitis Trail has been conducted by Paths of Greece, in October 2021.
 
Granitis Trail consists of two separate trails of 9 and 21 kilometers respectively.

Trail Waymarking

Trail Waymarking

 

What is considered to be a good waymarking?

The answer is one: “Waymarks that a hiker can easily understand and seamlessly follow”.
In this article series we will attempt to present the thematic of trail signage with examples and pictures.
In this article we will speak about waymarking with paint or small signs, that only indicates direction.
Waymarks are placed in such a way that they cannot be seen from hikers walking in opposite directions.
Waymarking aims at guiding hikers in a precise way, making them feel safe during the walk. Independently of the type of material that will be used, the way to put signs must follow some basic rules:
 
  1. Frequency
    It needs to be installed as often as needed (for example, in places where the trail is not visible, you should be able to see at least one sign from another. On the other hand, when the trail is very visible and there are no junctions, the distance between signs can be up to 250 meters.
  2. Visibility
    It needs to be installed in such a way so that the sign of one direction is not visible from those walking in the opposite direction (wherever this is possible)
  3. Height
    The signs should be installed at eye height (where possible), and in line with the hiker’s movement.
  4. Contrast
    Signs need to be composed of at least two colours, one lighter and one darker, so that contrast is created independently of the surface of application.
  5. Shape
    The arrow (if any) needs to be clearly pointing toward the trail.
  6. Respect
    Painting or sign installation must be performed with extra attention and care about the environment and culture.

One sign is visible from another.

Using one set of colours on a network of trails is also considered to be best practice as it helps hikers recognise the trail network.

Painting must be done with much care

Paths of Greece has an extensive experience in waymarking, and it uses a specific system for waymarking, presented here below:

The two lines are coloured in parallel to the trail line, so that they give a directional information. White always gets on the side of the trail.
Arrows indicate a change of direction and should be visible only from the direction that they concern.

The curve is coloured only on the ground, it follows the curvature of the trail and indicates a change in direction. It is visible from both directions on the trail. It is used only f there is no possibility to use an arrow.

The “Χ” indicates a wrong direction and it is a particularly important sign for absent-minded hikers!

Stay tuned to read about our next article on material used for waymarking!

Trails and Wildfires

Trails and Wildfires

 

A difficult and cruel Greek summer is slowly coming to its end. A summer stigmatized by the prolonged, exhausting heatwave in many parts of the country, but mostly by the smoke of wildfires, keeping our mind focused on the climate crisis that makes its face increasingly obvious. Our hearts and minds extend to our fellow citizens suffering from the wildfires’ consequences, their desperation over lost fortunes, their fear that their homes and way of life will never be the same again, the lost forests, the creatures of the earth that failed to escape or still suffer from the effects of the fire on their bodies.

We must, however, look at the bigger picture, and at how we can prevent and facilitate the management of similar situations in the future. Trails are an excellent tool, as they facilitate access to remote, densely wooded areas. Their constant care and maintenance, so that they can ultimately function – and – as fire zones at the critical moment, is crucial.

Frequented paths are also an excellent prevention tool, as they contribute to the detection of dangerous piles of concentrated waste or other combustible material, cables neighboring trees, or illegal activities that cause sparks. Moreover, walking paths can prevent malicious arson plans, as the frequent movement of hikers discourages such preparations.

On our front, we are working towards enabling hikers to be more informed as well as active allies of the forest and specialized civil protection services which are chronically suffering from a severe lack of staff and budget. By using the dedicated websites and applications for the paths available, they can immediately inform the competent management organization of the respective path on which they are walking about any dangerous points crossed, requesting the appropriate intervention.

And finally… awareness!!! Citizens who hike and enjoy excursions and activities in the countryside, who are in contact with nature, and do not see it as something dangerous and remote from them, but as an element continuing and complementing themselves, their daily life and their well-being, will be less indifferent, and will push the authorities to adopt the necessary measures and policies so that scenes like the ones that made our hearts dark this summer are kept to the minimum possible.

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Paths of Peace

Paths of Peace

 

This article, available in the Greek version of our website, presents the Paths of Peace project, in northern Greece. The trails are amongst the most impressive one can find in the mountainous regions of Greece. For more information visit the website www.pathsofpeace.gr

10 years Paths of Greece!

10 years Paths of Greece!

 

In 2021 the Social Cooperative Enterprise “Paths of Greece” celebrates its 10th anniversary!

We recall the experiences and emotions we experienced in this process: The emotions we felt looking for paths lost in time and the stories of the past, the stories we learned in our encounters with local people, the creative enthusiasm of building paths, but also the genuine joy that we feel when we hear compliments about our work from hikers. All this gives us strength to continue with even greater passion and determination!

In the past 10 years, we have studied, restored, sign-posted and promoted paths that we truly love. Below we mention some paths which we consider to be milestones in our journey, not because they are more important than the rest, but because they gave us the impetus to improve what we do.

Kythera Trails

Our journey with Paths of Greece started on Kythera island, at the end of 2010, where through synergies, research and a lot of volunteer work, a network of hiking trails was created with multiple benefits for the local community that every year expands and operates more efficiently. This was followed by works in Patmos, Mount Paggaio, Ymittos, Fiskardo in Kefalonia and elsewhere.

Hikers walking on one of the spectacular hiking Kythera Trails

International Trail Consulting

Paths of Greece participated in the 3rd World Trails Conference organized in South Korea in 2014 by the World Trails Network (WTN). There, the co-founder of Paths of Greece, Fivos Tsaravopoulos, was elected Treasurer of the International Board of Directors of the organization and the conditions were officially created for the transfer of our know-how outside Greece. In the following years we provided international trail consulting in China, Japan and Albania. Through the World Trails Network we have a strong interaction with the developments in the world of trails, having created international relationships and collaborations of special value.

From the international trail consultation in the region of Kanas, China.

Sifnos Trails

The next big stop for us was the creation of the Sifnos Trails hiking network. Sifnos for years tried – unfortunately in fragments – to become a hiking destination. In collaboration with the island’s municipality, we way-marked the trails, created an identity as well as the appropriate tools for the promotion of the network – website, application for smartphones, QR-codes, recording of routes with Google Trekker, twinning with other hiking networks in the world, dynamic presence in exhibitions and magazines abroad (France, Germany, Sweden, Poland etc.). The result was that Sifnos emerged as one of the top hiking destinations in Greece and the tourist season on the island has been extended with quality tourism.

Transporting sign-posts for the trails of Sifnos, in collaboration with the local society.

Chania Trails

In Sifnos we realized that the good cooperation between the local authorities, the local population and the specialized advisors in the development of paths brings spectacular results. The success in Sifnos was followed by our studies in various parts of Greece, from Alexandroupolis to Prespes and from Karpathos and Kasos to western Crete, where we gradually undertook to study all the paths of the Regional Unit of Chania.

We discovered forgotten mountain passes, trails in fairytale forests, Roman roads, and especially areas of infinite natural beauty and exceptional cultural wealth, to which the average interested walker unfortunately did not have access. The network we are planning in western Crete, with the valuable cooperation of the regional and local authorities as well as the local community, will exceed 600 kilometers in length. Its operation and maintenance will also be based on the tight cooperation of local authorities and the local community.

The moment of discovery of an ancient Roman road near Sougia, in Chania, Crete.

Hikers’ Friendly

In 2018 Paths of Greece launched the Hikers’ Friendly Accommodation Certification, a guide, in essence, advising hotels across the country in an effort to upgrade their facilities and services so that they can meet the requirements of the hiking community. Through our contact with local communities all over Greece, we promote the investment in the Hikers’ Friendly model. It is an important step that the hosting sector should take, especially in the post-Covid-19 era, if it aims at becoming a driving force for the lengthening of the tourist season, increase of revenues, and greater awareness of the rich natural and cultural heritage of the country. Hikers Friendly certification is entering a new era in 2021, adapting to the needs of the market.

Trail Certification

The organization in October 2019, in Kythira island, of the first seminar in Europe for the training of auditors of the “Green Flag Trails”, a World Trails Network certification, was another very important station for us. The certification Kythera Trails received during the seminar was a recognition of international prestige for the quality of the work of Paths of Greece on the island.

Collaborations

All these years we have built excellent collaborations on a solid foundation, on the main axis of mutual trust and respect for the experience and skills of each partner. Our goal has always been   to provide the most complete, specialized and innovative services. Among the collaborations we honor, we mention Staridas Geography, Instinct Design, Kappagram, Stonewave, ForestPlan, Med-INA, Diadrasis and Green Life and Lysiteleia as our closest partners.

Next steps

Since our establishment in 2010, our vision has been for Greece to become one of the top hiking destinations in the world. We believe that 10 years later, our country is moving in the right direction to achieve this goal. On our tenth birthday, we decided to set as our new vision that hiking becomes part of the daily life of our fellow citizens.

In addition to getting to know our nature, culture and history that they generously offer, trails promote our good physical condition and health, with a positive impact on public health. In the years we leave behind we have experienced intensely the direct dependence of human life on nature through the effects of climate change and the pandemic. Nature sends its own messages urging us to turn toward a sustainable way of life as a necessary condition for the normalization of humanity’s relationship with the natural environment.

Thus, from 2021 we start an ambitious educational program, which aims to bring younger and older people close to the trails, to promote hiking as a way of life, to bring hikers close to the inexhaustible natural and cultural wealth of Greece and to promote sustainable, collective values ​​for a better future.

To achieve this, at Paths of Greece, we will continue our action towards creating the conditions so that every resident of our country, even in urban centers, can easily and quickly have access to walking trails.

Therefore, our new vision will be from now on

A trail near every home!

A Path for the Disabled as Skiathos Trails enter a new Era

A Path for the Disabled as Skiathos Trails enter a new Era

 

In 2021, the walking trails of Skiathos will be ready for hikers to explore this beautiful island. Their total length exceeds 100 kilometers. Paths of Greece has recently conducted the study of the project, which includes the re-shaping of the trails network, infrastructure works, way-marking, and of-course promotion. Fivos Tsaravopoulos, co-founder of Paths of Greece, spoke to the H&R and revealed an innovation of the project: “The trails network will have the first in Greece accessible path to disabled persons, as part of the overall hiking network of the place”.

The footpaths of Skiathos cover all the cultural and natural beauty of the island

The trails network has been divided into 15 routes. “They cover the whole island. Its History, its cultural richness, nature, forests and cultivated areas. There has also been designed a trail for plane take-off / landing watching around the airport of Skiathos” Tsaravopoulos said. It is well known that the airport of Skiathos has one of the most spectacular locations in the world as planes take off and land very close to the seashore and swimming folks.

A special way-marking will help the hikers

As for the way-marking and sign-posting, trails will be marked following a specific methodology, with color, signs with arrows and directional information, as well as larger information boards with a map of the island and technical details about the trails.

Wide promotion in social media and creation of a digital guide for Skiathos

The footpaths of Skiathos will be presented through a specific website with all the information that will help hikers planning their trip. The website will be linked to Social Media. A free App will be available for hikers to download, guiding them digitally along the trails. A leaflet, with the map of the trails will also be at the hiker’s availability. The leaflet will have a walking map, lots of beautiful pictures of Skiathos and information about the trails.

Translation of an article publishe at the Hotel & Restaurant Νο 510, of Boussias Communications. Author: Maria Gourtsilidou

Trail Certifications

Trail Certifications

This article is available only in Greek for the moment. It treats of the different certifications systems that are available for trails in Greece.

Exploring Karpathos island

Exploring Karpathos island

 

Karpathos is one of the most authentic places in Greece, with an incredible trails network. The article speaks about an exploration from south to north of this island. The article only appears in the Greek version (click the Greek flag at the top right corner of your screen). Here you can only see the pictures of the article.

 

 

 

 

 

Kythera Trails becomes the 1st Green Flag certified trails in Europe

Kythera Trails becomes the 1st Green Flag certified trails in Europe

 

In early October 2019, trail professionals from 13 countries gathered on the island of Kythera, Greece, for the training of trail auditors using the Green Flag Trails certification led by the World Trails Network. During the 7-days long course, a selection of Kythera’s trails were audited and three of them certified as Green Flag Trails – the first ever trails in Europe to receive this certification.

Green Flag Trails is a certification that recognises trails for their accurate data, environmental responsibility and sustainable management. It focuses on sustainability and responsibility towards hiking and walking tourists and aims to stimulate ecotourism. Green Flag Trails is a scientifically based trail auditing system that has been applied and tested in 6 different countries to date, including Nepal, South Africa and Peru.

This has been the first step of the Green Flag Trails certification in Europe, the next step is meeting the demand for the certification of trails in other countries across Europe that joined the course, such as Portugal, Spain, Italy and Hungary. In addition Russia, Armenia, Georgia, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine and Kenya are also looking to implement the system to help improve the sustainability of their trails. All the participants, who successfully attended the course, have become certified Green Flag Trails auditors.

The team of experts gathered on the island of Kythera, Greece, in order to participate at the Green Flag Trails Auditor Training Course, hosted by the World Trails Network, with the support of the Kytherian Foundation for Culture and Development and in cooperation with Paths of Greece. It took place at the Hikers Friendly certified hotel “Porto Delfino”.

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