How an escape trail finds its way in Berwang

"This is neither in the interests of the tourist offices we work with, nor in the interests of the guests, who we want to offer honest access to the world they have chosen for their holiday," emphasises Oliver Lohre, who helped develop the three escape trails around Berwang.

This approach also protects against vandalism: nobody can remove or damage parts of the trail and thus interrupt it. If smaller installations do become necessary, they are so well hidden or skilfully placed that they are not conspicuous or intrude into the picture. In such cases, existing installations such as bridge railings, fountains, stone walls or signposts serve as aids. "Everyone knows the yellow signs that show the direction, distance and walking time. Once we simply added one at one point, which is part of the trail but doesn't bother normal hikers," says Oliver, citing one of the pragmatic examples of such tricks. However, there is no labelling for the trails. Those who set off on the trail have to "puzzle out" station by station from the clues, games and solutions.

Safety first!

A close look is required when it comes to the safety of the escape trails. Two factors come together here. Firstly, by only ever using existing facilities and paths, continuous maintenance and care is ensured, for example by the tourism association or the local authority's building yards. Secondly, it ensures that both the trail and the stations avoid places where someone could get stuck or slip. Especially when everyone is fully focussed on the tasks at hand and is gripped by the fever of discovery, they should be in a safe environment from the very first step, emphasises Oliver. "We have developed an eye for this over the course of many projects and avoid these potential risks from the outset."

If there is a lack of motifs in between to complete the trail, "then we try to feel them out," explains the trail maker. "We then orientate ourselves on the surroundings, on the nature along the route. We always find exciting treasures there that can be highlighted and incorporated into the stories." They also always focus on the challenges a trail poses in terms of surefootedness. "A trail for families with children is designed differently to one for adults," says Oliver. "The older ones are allowed to scramble a bit. Not high alpine, but still with an announcement." His experience also shows that a certain stretch of trail is even reasonable as a single trail, i.e. a route where you walk one behind the other. "This makes the next shared experience at the puzzle station all the more enjoyable."

Every escape trail in Berwang is an adventure

With attention to detail and well thought-out procedures, the "mountain secrets" create an inviting atmosphere. There are time slots for each trail that must be booked. An hour's distance between two groups is always guaranteed - and therefore privacy on your own adventure. In Berwang, there are eight rucksacks per escape trail - once these have been booked, the trail has reached its maximum capacity for the day. The puzzle locations are dimensioned in such a way that there is enough space for the small groups that set off on the trail. After all, up to 18 people are allowed to take part when it comes to getting to the bottom of the secrets. "Nobody should have to stand on the sidelines," says Oliver. "So that everyone can do or say something that contributes to the end result."

Each trail is between three and five kilometres long - or short, depending. It's less about the distance travelled and more about what you experience along the way. This results in a walking time of around one to one and a half hours. On top of this, you need to spend around a quarter of an hour at each puzzle location - with an average of six such stations per trail, that's the same amount of time again. This means that the excursions there are no longer spontaneous holiday decisions, says Oliver, but planned ones. "The surprise is then in what can be discovered on the trail," he concludes.