What's behind the German love of hiking?

Actually, no.

While German hikes may not always be as long as in the fun-poking video from British-born Germany resident and TikTok-er Liam Carpenter, statistics show that Germans really do love to get their hiking boots on (proper ones, obviously, none of this hybrid trainer nonsense) and head for the hills.

So much so that it's the country's most popular outdoor activity. 

A questionnaire carried out by the German Hiking Association (DWV) in 2023 found that 66 percent of the 843 respondents asked went hiking frequently, with most people preferring to walk on low mountain ranges or Mittelgebirge.

And these weren't just strolls around the park, either. The median distance walked was a not-insubstantial 12.5 kilometres, with most people walking for two to four hours, followed by four to six hours.

READ ALSO: The six types of German hikers you're bound to see this summer

Most people said they hiked to get out in nature, to be active or for a sense of freedom.

The German predilection for getting out for a proper walk is hardly surprising given the incredibly varied and beautiful landscapes the country has to offer, from lush forests to spectacular mountains. 

And it's pretty commonplace among friends to suggest going for a hike when making plans for what to do at the weekend, even if you live in the city. And yes, there may well be a beer or three at the end of it.

But what makes Germany stand out is the fact that it's much easier to explore the countryside than in many other countries: there are an impressive array of long-distance hiking trails or Fernwanderwege – 162 to be precise, according to this Wanderbares Deutschland map that also highlights 'premium' or well-marked trails. It's basically walker (sorry, hiker) heaven.

The map also showcases the many shorter routes across the country's whopping trail network that stretches over 200,000 kilometres.

And better yet, they're all easy to access by public transport, meaning wherever you live in the country, you're never too far away from a trail, making it easy to pack up a bag and get out there.

A long-time way of life 

People in Germany have been hiking for centuries, going right back to the religious pilgrims of the Middle Ages. The first trails were built in the second half of the 19th century, followed by the world's first youth hostel association in 1912 in Germany, which saw their number surge. The rest, as they say, is history. 

Given their longstanding love of getting out and about and wandering, it's no surprise that Germans came up with the word Wanderlust, either (literally: the pleasure of hiking). Fernweh is more commonly used in Germany now to describe a desire to travel, but the evocative concept of wanderlust holds strong in the English-speaking world.

READ ALSO: Waldeinsamkeit: Five of the best forest walks around Berlin

But back to hiking: Germany also has Europe's largest national day of hiking (14th May, in case you were wondering), but of course you don't need to wait until then to take to the hills.

Google 'Germany's best hiking trails' and you'll be overwhelmed by choice, so here are three of our favourites: the almost 700-year-old Rennsteig – Germany's oldest trail – that takes in the Thuringian Forest and even has its own song, the nine-stage castle-studded Neckarsteig trail and, for wine lovers, the beautiful Moselsteig. 

Let us know in the comments if you have a favourite hiking route.