TRAVELOGUE: Hikers tread countryside marathon by marathon

[EDITOR’S NOTES: This article was originally published in 2013, and its information has been updated for both the year and the audience. Neither the information on this page nor the accompanying external hyperlinks constitute an endorsement by the U.S. Army or Department of Defense of the information, products or services contained therein.]

USAG BAVARIA – HOHENFELS, Germany – Step after step, the trail passes over hill, through forest, along field. Footfalls collect meters into kilometers and kilometers into a marathon hiked over the course of a day.

As spring draws closer, the Wandertag/Volksmarch season picks up. There are many weekend walking adventures to be had, including several marathon and "super-marathon" hikes throughout Bavaria and beyond.

During a marathon-length hikes, as organized by a hiking club under the auspice of the Deutscher Volkssportverband, or DVV, the hiker purchases a card at the start point of the hike for a nominal fee and follows signs along trails that take them through the countryside. The hiker stops at control stops, or Kontrollstelle, along the way to collect stamps on their card. At the control stops, the hiker may eat, drink and rest. The hike concludes at the place it began (with a few exceptions). The hiker eats, drinks and recuperates in the cheerful company of fellow hikers they have brought with them or have met along the trail.

Typically, Wandertags have a 5-, 10- and 20-kilometer option, but every so often a club will host a 30-kilometer hike or even a marathon-length (42.195 kilometers) or a super-marathon-length (50 kilometers or longer) hike. Start times for typical hikes last from morning until noon or afternoon except for these longer hikes. Hikers must begin their marathon earlier in the morning so they can return to the start point before the hiking day concludes. Without stops and at a steady pace of 3 miles or 5 kilometers per hour, a marathon hike takes more than eight hours to complete and a super marathon takes 10 hours or longer.

Many other hiking clubs also conduct guided hiking tours, where a group of hikers starts at one time and follow a guide rather than a marked trail.

Considering the full-day commitment as well as the physical endurance necessary to hike, this is neither an all-ages family event nor the opportunity for a novice hiker to test their mettle.

• Though Wandertags are usually designed to pass along well-maintained trails and roads through easy terrain, the length of a marathon requires practical hiking experience. Hikers should consider the following:
• Hikers should already have a grasp of what hiking longer distances feels like, preferably distances greater than half the distance of a marathon.
• The hiker should have used and be comfortable with their footwear, preferably sturdy shoes or boots designed for hiking. Wearing both a pair of hiking socks and liner socks is also a good idea to prevent blisters.
• Though there will be several control stations along the hike serving free refreshments and selling water and cold drinks, bringing water along is also a good idea, as is bringing high-energy food.
• The trails are usually marked well, but bringing a GPS and extra batteries can also benefit the hiker if they miss a turn.
• First aid kits can also prove useful in an emergency.
• Also, hikers should look up the forecast the day of the event to determine whether rain gear or sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat are worth the weight.

Many hikers, however, make the marathon unburdened by gear, depending only on the bright orange tape and the repast and refreshment provided by the event organizers. Preparation and gear are matters of preference.

Below is a list of upcoming hiking marathons and super-marathons in Bavaria or within a three-hour drive of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Grafenwöhr, Hohenfels or Vilseck, with date, location, trail lengths in kilometers, club name, club contact information, start time, start location and brochure links:

• April 18 at Neuhaus (42 km.): 1. Nürnberger Volkslaufclub 1969 e.V. (0911 698065). Start: 7 a.m. at Sportgaststätte Neuhaus, Waldstraße 17, 91284 Neuhaus. (NOTE: This is a guided hike, and the group leaves promptly at 7 a.m. Participants must be there beforehand to sign up and take part.)
• May 3 at Bad Griesbach (5, 12, 21, 42, 50 km.): Gesundheitsabteilung des Gäste- & Kur-Service Bad Griesbach (08532 79249 or 08532 79251). Start: 6 to 6:05 a.m. (50 km.), 7 to 7:05 a.m. (42 km.), 9:30 to 9:35 a.m. (21 km.); 10:30 to 10:35 a.m. (12 km.), and 11 to 11:05 a.m. (5 km.) at Therme Kurplatz, Thermalbadstr. 4, 94086 Bad Griesbach im Rottal.
• June 7 at Gräfinau-Angstedt (42 km.): Freie Flotte Füße Franken (09566 1564 or 0171 2385127). Start: 7 a.m. at Dorfgemeinschaftshaus, Marktplatz, 98693 Gräfinau-Angstedt. To learn more, select the link here (external link, auf Deutsch, no endorsement implied).
• June 28 at Eibenstock (42 km.): Freie Flotte Füße Franken (09566 1564 or 0171 2385127). Start: 7:30 a.m. at Skiarena Eibenstock, Vordere Rehmerstr., 08309 Eibenstock. To learn more, select the link here (external link, auf Deutsch, no endorsement implied). (NOTE: This is a guided hike, and the group leaves promptly at 7 a.m. Participants must be there beforehand to sign up and take part.)
• July 19 at Maroldsweisach (42 km.): Freie Flotte Füße Franken (09566 1564 or 0171 2385127). Start: 7 a.m. at Sportclub Hautpstr. 5, 96484 Maroldsweisach. To learn more, select the link here (external link, auf Deutsch, no endorsement implied). (NOTE: This is a guided hike, and the group leaves promptly at 7 a.m. Participants must be there beforehand to sign up and take part.)
• July 20 at Weitramsdorf OT Tambach (42 km.): Freie Flotte Füße Franken (09566 1564 or 0171 2385127). Start: 7 a.m. at Waldcafé, Am Brunnenhölzlein 17, 96479 Weitramsdorf OT Tambach. To learn more, select the link here (external link, auf Deutsch, no endorsement implied). (NOTE: This is a guided hike, and the group leaves promptly at 7 a.m. Participants must be there beforehand to sign up and take part.)
• Aug. 2 and 3 at Bad Salzungen (43, 100, 170 km.): Pummpälzweg e.V. Gumpelstadt (03695 620580 or 0172 3574694). Start: 8 a.m. Aug. 5 (170 km.), 9 p.m. Aug. 2 (100 km.) and 8 a.m. Aug. 3 (43 km.) at An den Gradierhäusern 4, 36433 Bad Salzungen. (NOTE: Hikers must finish by 8 p.m. Aug. 3. Also, 170 kilometers is a crazy long distance! Why would you even think of doing this!?)
• Aug. 9 and 10 at Bad Salzungen (40, 42 km.): Pummpälzweg e.V. Gumpelstadt (03695 620580 or 0172 3574694). Start: 7 a.m. at Moorgrundstr. 61, 36433 Bad Salzungen.
• Sept. 13 and Oct. 3 at Selb (42 km.): TSV 1862 Küps e.V., Abt. Wandern (0151 64073043). Start: 7 a.m. at Goetheplatz 1, 95100 Selb. (NOTE: This is a guided hike, and the group leaves promptly at 7 a.m. Participants must be there beforehand to sign up and take part.)
• Oct. 3, 4 and 5 at Fulda (6, 11, 21, 30 and 42 km.): Volkssportfreunde Fulda 1986 e.V. (0170 7362890). Start: 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 3, 7 to 8 a.m. Oct. 4 (30 and 40 km.), 8 to 10 a.m. Oct. 4 and 5 (21 km.), 8 a.m. to noon Oct. 4 and 5 (6 and 11 km.), 8 to 10 a.m. Oct. 5 (30 km.) at Richard-Wagner-Str. 54, 36043 Fulda. (NOTE: The marathon-length hike is not available Oct. 5.)
• Oct. 11 at Bad Rappenau-Grombach (42 km.): Kraichgau-Wanderer Grombach e.V. (07266 1275). Start: 7 a.m. at Züchterhalle, Mühlstr. 15, 74906 Bad Rappenau-Grombach. To learn more, select the link here (external link, auf Deutsh, no endorsement implied). (NOTE: This is a guided hike, and the group leaves promptly at 7 a.m. Participants must be there beforehand to sign up and take part.)

There are other marathon-length and longer hikes in Germany, and many of them, as well as updates to the ones listed above, can be found at www.dvv-wandern.de.