Harzer Wandernadel

The Harzer Wandernadel (literally: "Harz Walking Badge") is a system of hiking badges based on a network of checkpoints in the Harz mountains in central Germany. The hiker (or mountain biker) can earn badges at different levels of challenge by walking to the various checkpoints in the network and stamping his or her passbook to record the visit. With 222 checkpoints in three federal states and across five districts in the Harz and with membership in five figures, the system has gained a following Germany-wide.

The idea of the Wandernadel ("hiking badge") is to give those holidaying in the Harz a worthwhile goal to achieve and encourage them to stay for longer or return. It also aims to encourage those who live in the local area to go hiking and improve their fitness.

In addition the system helps tourists and locals to get to know the many, varied and attractive sights and hiking trails in the Harz. To that end, checkpoints have been located at scenic viewing points, places of geological or botanical interest and locations that are either rich in culture or steeped in history. With a few exceptions, the checkpoints can only be reached on foot or bicycle.

The Harz hiking badge can be awarded at several levels depending on the number of checkpoints reached (verified by stamping a pass book):

The awards may be earned over any period of time; there is no time limit within which the stamps have to be collected.

In addition there are special themed hiking badges that may be earned. For example there is one for collecting 11 stamps on checkpoints located on the Harzer Hexenstieg the "Harz Witch's Path". Others include a Goethe Way (Goetheweg) badge and an Inner German Border badge.

It is also possible, in addition to collecting all 222 stamps, to collect several additional special stamps that are recorded at the end of a walking pass. These special stamps are only collector's items and do not count towards any award.

Before visiting checkpoints and starting to collect stamps, the hiker first needs to buy a hiking pass book (Wanderpass); these can be obtained cheaply online or in the tourist and spa facilities in the towns and villages of the Harz, in participating pubs within the network and in some bookshops. It is also worthwhile buying a set of 3 maps on which the checkpoints are marked, although this information can be found in other ways, including the organiser's website. The website first published its English pages in 2012 with the support of the British garrison in Hohne.

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Wikipedia