Long-distance hiking trails for families

Yes!

(If the long-distance hike is planned in such a way that the children's needs are sufficiently catered for).

Long-distance hiking with children is a special experience and brings the whole family together. Of course, a holiday with children's entertainment also has its charms, but you rarely spend as much quality time together as on a long-distance hike. The constantly changing landscape and the many new attractions mean that children rarely get bored (after all, one adventure follows the next), which can make spending time together very relaxing.

Long-distance hiking also provides adults with numerous opportunities to show and explain the world to their children – away from the daily grind and with plenty of time to spare. The little ones in turn learn a lot on such a long-distance hike – about nature and about themselves. The whole family also experiences a strong sense of togetherness on a long-distance hike, and the memories that you bring home from such an adventure will last a long time in your everyday life.

However, for the holiday to be a success, it is really important that you adapt to the needs and pace of the children. Stages that are too long or strenuous, stressful walking or too few opportunities to play, marvel and rest can spoil the experience for the whole family.

Many of Tirol's long-distance hiking trails are suitable for families with children. They are characterised by shorter stages and mainly run on easy to moderately difficult (mountain) trails. It goes without saying that there are numerous attractions for children (and their parents) along the way. Playgrounds, natural spectacles, summer toboggan runs, mountain cart routes, suspension bridges, outdoor pools and indoor pools are a motivating stop-off point on long-distance hikes and guarantee that the kids won't get bored along the way.

A total of seven long-distance hiking trails in Tirol are also suitable for children. All of them have their own theme. There are long-distance hiking trails that

• are dedicated to water and nature (Lech Trail, Isel Trail, Höfe Trail and Starkenberg Panorama Trail)
• immerse you in history (Tirol Fortress Trail, Starkenberg Panorama Trail) or
• are also an interactive experience (KAT Walk Family, Tirolean Silver Trail).

If you only have a long weekend or would like to start off slowly in the world of long-distance hiking with children, you can also try a shorter multi-day hike or a hike with an overnight stay in a mountain hut.

All family hiking trails in Tirol run through alpine landscapes and offer beautiful nature experiences. The Isel Trail, for example, leads along the Isel river to its source and through impressive meadow landscapes, past gorges and waterfalls and right up to the glacier tongue of the Umbalkees. The Lech Trail is also an excellent choice for families. It follows the Lech from its source to the Lech Falls in Füssen and leads through wild natural landscapes in the Lech Nature Park. Along the way, there are many rest stops, adventures (such as the suspension bridges in Holzgau on the Lech Trail and the one over the Isel Gorge on the Isel Trail) and interesting stations that offer children exciting insights into the natural world. The Starkenberg Panorama Trail leads past a total of seven lakes and numerous streams.

As soon as you have decided on a long-distance hike, you can start planning the stages. The physical fitness of the youngest child should be taken into account, as well as any excursions and attractions along the way. It is therefore advisable to study the individual stage descriptions carefully in order to determine the ideal stage length. Particularly for long-distance hikes that run close to the valley (Lech Trail, etc.), the individual stages can be divided up individually. When planning the stages, it is also important to consider whether a section of the trail is suitable for pushchairs or children and what detours are possible (alternative route, public transport, etc.).

Once you have defined the respective starting points and stage destinations, you can book your accommodation. Depending on your personal preference, this can be accommodation for the entire trip or a hotel at each destination. In principle, it is also possible to book the respective accommodation on site, which increases flexibility, but can of course also be a little stressful, as many places may already be fully booked, especially in the high season. (In this case, you would have to switch to a neighbouring village, but you could also use public transport).

On some long-distance hiking trails, such as the KAT Walk Family, it is also possible to book an all-round service including luggage transport.

As a rule, you can stay overnight along the Tirolean long-distance family hiking trails in accommodation that suits your preferences. guesthouses, hotels, private hosts are all available. There are also partner accommodations on most of the long-distance hiking trails that offer special booking options.

On the Isel Trail, you can also spend the night at the Clarahütte, the starting point of the last stage.

Of course, all family members must have the correct equipment for a safe and enjoyable hiking experience. Depending on the long-distance hike, mountain or trekking boots, rain protection, etc. should be carried at all times. Apart from the usual equipment for long-distance hikes, however, children do not need many other things – apart from the age-appropriate items (nappies, for example). Most of the long-distance hikes in Tirol take place in or near the valley, so that things that you might need can be obtained locally. However, it is advisable to add sufficient plasters and disinfectant spray to the first aid kit and we know from experience that (depending on the age of the child) a children's carving knife and a piece of yarn can also come in handy.

It is not possible to say how many kilometres children can walk on a long-distance hike, as this depends on several factors. As a guideline, you can aim for around 5 to 12 kilometres per day. If the child is still being carried in places, the stages can of course be a little longer, although it should be borne in mind that it can also be exhausting for children to spend the whole day in a carrier. If there are excursion destinations along the way that you really want to visit, the stage should of course be shorter. In any case, you should take enough time – children discover all sorts of things along the way and being amazed together with them is not only fun, but also strengthens the bond.

There are a few points to bear in mind when long-distance hiking with children:

• As with all hikes with children, the youngest (self-walking) child sets the pace.
• The children's luggage should be kept as light as possible: a maximum of 10% of their own body weight is allowed in the rucksack, but the less the children carry, the better.
• The stages should not be too long or too difficult, with climbs and narrow paths generally more exciting for children than wide forest paths.
• It is essential to plan enough breaks and sufficient time for games along the way.
• You should pack enough water as well as snacks (bars, etc.).
• Before setting off, it is advisable to enquire about attractions along the way.
• It is advisable to carry enough cash with you. Card payment is often not possible in the mountains.

• As a general rule, you need about one and a half times the time given in hiking guides if you are travelling with children.
• You should also allow enough time for breaks, playing and, above all, marvelling. Children discover all sorts of exciting and important things along the way that they could be doing right now (e.g. throwing a stone into the water) so that long-distance hiking is also an experience for them, they should be allowed to do so. After all, parents also benefit from this, as children are true teachers when it comes to "the journey is the reward".
• Despite the many opportunities to play along the way, it is an advantage if you have one or two game ideas (which can be realised without a lot of equipment) in your luggage. If you also know legends from the respective region, this will definitely score points and motivate the children to discover the story's locations.
• The family hiking trails in Tirol also offer plenty of variety in the form of excursion destinations. A visit to the swimming pool, a picnic on the banks of a stream or even a rafting tour turn long-distance hiking into a real adventure holiday.
• It can be advisable to book accommodation for the respective stage destinations in advance. Although this takes away some of the spontaneity, you can take as much time as you need for the route and avoid the stress of looking for accommodation. For some children, it may even be better to book accommodation for the planned time on the long-distance hiking trail, which serves as a "base" for the entire long-distance hike. In the morning, you set off from there to the start of each stage and return to your accommodation once you have reached your destination for the day.
• The following also applies to children: your rucksack should not weigh more than 10% of your own body weight.

• Even if toddlers are already comfortable walking on their own, it is advisable to have a means of transport with you. Ideally, this should be an all-terrain pushchair with pneumatic tyres, in which the little ones sit more comfortably than in a pram or back carrier. After all, even for older toddlers, a day's walk is more strenuous than you might think.
• When hiking long distances, the general rule is to keep your luggage small – but if you are travelling with small children, you have to reckon with additional weight in your rucksack: nappies, jars, a change of clothes and, last but not least, the child itself quickly double the load on your back. The pram can also help here.
• To ensure that the long-distance hike is a positive experience for everyone, the stage length should be short.
• Accommodation should be booked in advance, especially with young children.
• The long-distance hiking trail should be chosen in such a way that it is suitable for pushchairs but can also be easily negotiated by the children themselves.