ERA commemorative book
For the 50th ERA jubilee, ERA in cooperation with our general partner Kompass-Karten GmbH published a commemorative book. On 120 pages you can read about ERA’s history, today’s ERA activities, E-paths and ERA member organisations. The book exists in paper and an electronic version (it can be ordered from the ERA office). Part of the book has the E-paths’ map, produced in cooperation with the European Federation of Youth Hostel Associations. Each E-path includes youth hostels along the trail with the address on the reverse of the map. This map is limited to the number of commemorative books. Kompass-Karten expects to issue an updated map for a sale in spring 2020.
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50th ERA jubilee at Nägelehaus
On 19 October 1969 the chairmen of 8 walking clubs from five European countries met in the “Nägelehaus” at the Raichberg, which belongs to the Schwäbischer Alberein, and founded the European Ramblers’ Association. 50 years later, on Sunday 20 Oct. 2019, the Schwäbischer Alberein remembered ERA’s important day for European walking and prepared a very friendly walking meeting at the founding place. More than 500 walkers from all over Germany participated. Greetings were expressed and the local folklore dancing group Jugendtanzleiter-Ensemble let the people dance. More here.
The plaque on the Nägelehaus’s wall for this jubilee was unveiled and will stay as a memory for future visitors/walkers. The plaque is in German, the QR code provides the English and French translations.
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50th ERA conference
The jubilee ERA conference was held from 17-20 October in Bad Urach (D). More than 140 delegates and guests were hosted by the Schwäbischer Albverein. Many honorary presidents and honorary members were present: Jan Havelka, Lis Nielsen, Arthur Howcroft, Ingemund Hägg, Henk Dikker Hupkes, Jean Hirschinger and Juan Mari Feliu Dord; and some representatives of our partners: Kompass-Karten, Tirol Werbung and European Federation of Youth Hostels Associations.
On Friday, delegates participated in the Know-How sessions. Information about the ERA member organisations and about the situation of the working groups on E-path group, Leading Quality Day Walks’ group, Leading Quality Region’s group and Competition’s group was given. Then, a session about the exceptional situation after flooding and how to solve damages on trails was presented. The guests were invited to the European Winter Walking Days, held in St. Johann in Tirol (A) and to the 2nd Catalonian Trek Festival, held in Salou, Catalonia (E). The results of the Impulse Survey on Hiking in Europe (German National Tourist Board – GNTB) and the Nature Sport Study of the Deutscher Wanderverband were presented.
On Saturday, the General Meeting was held in hotel Stift, the former monastery with it’s atmosphere. The ERA strategy was approved. Now, the new presidium will work on the detailed plans of each strategy object. The president Boris Mićić advised about the proposed changes to the ERA constitution. ERA is in the process of internal changes and improvements, this requires amendments to the constitution. Organisations are requested to send their ideas for the constitution’s improvement before 31 Dec. 2019. The Minutes of the GM, incl. a short description of the Know-How sessions, will be available on the ERA website from the 6 December 2019.
More pictures here.
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New presidium
At the 50th ERA General Meeting one half of the presidium was elected. The 1st vice-president elected was Gerhard Ermischer (left) from Deutscher Wanderverband (D), he replaces Aloys Steppuhn from the same organisation. Mimmo Pandolfo (right) continues in the position of the 3rd vice-president for other 4 years. Newly elected was the 2nd assessor: Sandra Bertholet (in the middle) from Office Régional du Tourisme Région Mullerthal – Petite Suisse Luxembourgeoise (L). The new presidium will meet from 6-9 February 2020 in Prague to launch further ERA tasks.
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The former presidium proposed and the General Meeting accepted to award the title of “ERA honorary president” to Aloys Steppuhn. Congratulations!
EURORANDO 2021
We have the pleasure to announce the venue of EURORANDO 2021 in Sibiu, the main city of the Central Romania, Transylvania. Save the dates in your calender: 26 September – 3 October 2021 for the final week. More information for groups and individual participants will be available by spring 2020.
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Leading Quality Trails-Best of Europe
Recently the 5th Leading Quality Trails-Best of Europe’ seminar was held from 24-25 October 2019 in Chatenois (F). 17 participants discussed the marketing, an ERA contribution to the LQT-BE and a plan for the 2020. On the occasion of this seminar, two new LQT-BE were awarded the designation, given by the ERA president Boris Micic (in total we have 18 LQT-BE):
La Traversée du Massive des Vosges leads from Wisembourg to Belfort.
Historical Villages of Portugal – GR22 shows you the beauty of the Portugiese inland.
This year, ERA’s partner Deutscher Wanderverband Service has had a lot of work with the new certifications or recertifications. Already 2nd recertification have been given in 2019 to Lechweg (A) and to Kullaleden (S). The 1st recertification was succesfully completed by the Rota Vicentina – Historical Way (P) and Menalon Trail (GR).
On 8 June 2019 the 2nd Vice-president Armand Ducornet gave a new certificate for the LQT-BE to the Nestos Rodopi Trail (GR). On 4 Dec. 2019 the 19th LQT-BE “Stezka podél Lužnice” (Trail along the Luznice river, CZ) will be awarded the designation.
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European Winter Walking Days
– a perfect solution for your winter holiday
Registration is in full swing!
ERA in partnership with the Tirol Werbung are organising walking days in the winter period. Would you like to walk in the silent winter mountain atmosphere? Or do wish to discover a new possibility of the walking? Or spend your winter holiday on ski, but would also like to try something else? Come to St. Johann in Tirol (A) from 5-8 March 2020! Visit the website, where you will find more useful information for your stay, including a list of the accommodation possibilities. Choose from the large offer of tours in the surroundings. You can walk, try ski shoes or go a little bit faster on cross-country skies. Also, the registration can be done for both single people and groups. Contact details: info@kitzalps.cc
Copyright © 2019 European Ramblers’ Association, All rights reserved.
