Under the motto "Nature - Home - Hiking" the DAV runs 22 hiking homes. These houses and the 29 lookout towers are maintained and managed with a great deal of commitment. Many volunteers from the more than 570 local groups ensure that the 24,000 km of hiking trails in the association area are clearly signposted. The numerous leisure activities range from hikes and cultural programs to nature conservation events and sporting events for families and young people.
Certification of hiking trails has been the trend for several years. A lot of effort is behind a certification that has to be renewed every three years by the German Hiking Association.
• Quality hiking trails of the SAV are checked for the following criteria:
o The path format (near-natural paths are rated positively, asphalted routes are only permitted on a total of 20% of the route)
o User-friendly marking and attractiveness of the entire route. These criteria are closely examined on 4 km sections.
• Premium hiking trails
The "Premium Hiking Trail" certification is awarded by the German Hiking Institute e.V., based in Marburg, with the aim of promoting hiking in Germany. It is very popular with tourism associations in order to attract tourists - in a positive sense.
A total of 34 criteria play a role in certification. This includes the surface of the path, the experience of nature, the signage, sights and variety. The complete list of criteria and the certification process can be found on the website of the German Hiking Institute.
The number of experience points is used to decide whether a trail is the premium hiking trail. A minimum number of points must be achieved. E.g. for circular routes that are 45 experience points (as of March 2017). The certification from the German Hiking Institute is only valid for three years, after which the route must be checked again.
The award of points makes the difference between a premium route and a quality route, because the only principle that applies to quality routes is “pass or fail”.