Himmerland has launched a project to become Denmark’s first internationally certified hiking region, a status only one other European country holds.
DR reports that the tourism organization Destination Himmerland has started a so-called maturation project. Its director, Johanne Bugge, is coordinating the work together with several other partners.
The goal is international certification within a couple of years. To qualify, Himmerland must have at least seven certified hiking routes. According to DR, the region has five today.
Those five are Panoramaruten, the Rebild Bakker route, Gravlev Ådal Ruten, Mariagerruten and Røverruten. Nationwide, there are 15 certified routes, DR notes.
What certification requires
Uffe Westerberg, a consultant from Deutsches Wanderinstitut, is advising the project. Per DR, he will also look at where new routes can be laid out.
As stated by Westerberg, the most important factor is a route’s experience value, meaning that something happens along the way and that views are good. He adds that routes must be marked well enough to walk without a map or a phone.
Bugge told DR that the group is still mapping what certification will require and what it will cost. She said those figures are not known yet.
She also said she believes the money is worth spending. According to Bugge, a certification would give the region visibility and could make it a landmark destination in Northern Europe.
The municipalities of Mariagerfjord, Rebild and Vesthimmerland are part of the project, along with Dansk Kyst- og Naturturisme.
Panoramaruten marks 10 years
The project follows a milestone on one of the region’s existing trails. Panoramaruten in Hobro recently celebrated 10 years as a certified hiking route and received a new sign at its entrance.
The local outlet ligeher.nu reports that Panoramaruten was certified in 2016. As noted by the outlet, it was the first quality hiking route in Denmark under Deutsches Wanderinstitut. The same report describes the local ambition to build on the route toward a certified hiking region.
DR spoke with one regular user of the trail, Rasmus Kirkegaard, 41, from Hinnerup. He has walked Panoramaruten between 15 and 20 times and drives long distances to find routes he likes. He said a route must include water, hilly terrain, views and preferably forest.
If the certification succeeds, Himmerland becomes Denmark’s first internationally certified hiking region. Denmark would then be the second country in Europe with such a region. Westerberg told DR that becoming the first country outside Germany is significant and can be used in marketing.
The certified routes run through several well-known areas of the region, including the landscape around Mariager. Bugge described a certification as the highest possible stamp of approval and said she is convinced it is realistic.
