Wanderlust: Why the Germans love hiking and the great outdoors | Meet the Germans

Have you ever been shown up by a German on a hiking trail? They certainly can't be faulted for their impeccable hiking gear. Today on Meet the Germans, Rachel Stewart is roaming the hills trying to find out why the Germans have so much wanderlust.
Rachel moved from the UK to Germany in 2016. As a relative newcomer she casts a fresh eye over German clichés and shares her experiences of settling into German life. Every two weeks she explores a new topic – from beer to nudity to complicated grammar. This week it's all about the German passion for walking, hiking and nature.

#MeetTheGermans #RachelStewart #Wanderlust

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[felicious]

When you are in the middle of nowhere in Scandinavia 200km between you and the next settlement, there is still a chance of 99% to meet a perfectly equipped German, who is on a hike.

[SDOtunes]

That snacking on sausages thing is so authentic! Recently lived in the US for a couple months and when I whipped out a little sausage snack during a studying session, my mates were like "Wow... that is the most German thing I've ever seen."

[ind]

It's true....the hiking paths in Germany are well marked. Germans love hiking

[friendofmara]

"And then the Germans did what the Germans do best:"

" *theygotorganized* "

[davnyman]

I was hiking in the forest here in my own country Sweden, and was on my way back to a bus stop going in to town. Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, a nice elderly couple in a huge RV (Wohnmobil) stopped and offered me and my girlfriend a lift. Turns out, they were German! Absolutely amazing people!

[hariboi]

Don't forget that while being physically active at fresh air you can saufen wie blöd!

[nerdothn]

I can confirm this and damn I want to go wandern now

[Cleeves]

You missed one important fact: The greeting etiquette! When you just stroll or roam through a park, beach, shore or other touristy area, you don't greet strangers. But as soon as you are on a hiking path, it is expected you greet other hikers. As if you are a sworn-in secret community :D This is especially funny, when you have a mixed trip like along a lake and a short way uphill to a castle ruin. Down at the lake, no conversation to strangers – through the forest: "hello-hello" to everyone!

[rockyblacksmith]

How is this for a weird flex: I actually recognised the specific area she was hiking in (Siebengebirge near Bonn), just by the nature of the terrain and the look of the trees.
Only on the second viewing did I notice the fact that she had a map of that region, and the fact that the railway she was exiting was the Drachenfelsbahn.
And I've only been there twice, years ago!

[MinkxiTes]

To be fair.. Germany has so much variety when it comes to nature and the woods so it is not really surprising that one feels the urge to hike and walk through them. And all the markings can help to got not completely lost.

It is fun. Get outside and walk/hike. Rediscovere a part of nature. It even might help getting rid of city stress

[jannix]

The Einkehr is the biggest motivation for a german Wanderer

[luziealyssa]

I really enjoyed this episode but did anyone else get mildly infuriated at how she wore her backpack without closing the straps? Do that while hiking and your back will hate you haha

[salam-peace]

This is so true, I am German, I often just walk through the forest, sometimes off the paths, explore the area, enjoy the nature. And during vacations we often went hiking on mountains or on beaches (in Austria, Norway, Sweden) and often encountered other Germans.

[CaroLine-qxct]

I'm from Germany and pretty much everything she says is true 🤔😂!

[milohrnic]

I've run into German hikers many hours from any other person at Glacier National Park. They are everywhere.

[Periskop]

Reise, Reise! My grandfather who was German from Bremen, was working at the docks and noticed a pair of Alsatian shepherd dogs with address bound for the Philippines in the 1930's.He wrote a letter to this address and got invited to join them in Mindanao. And the rest as they say, is history.

[HrRezpatex]

We have the same tradition here in Norway.
And i love it and we also have amazing nature to do it in. :)

[DavidGetling]

You bring back fond memories of when I lived in Berlin. Within 5 minutes of stepping out of my flat I was in the Grunewald. I could walk along by the Havel for hours. Sometimes I'd walk all the way to Wannsee.

[vincepod]

You could easily add Austria, Switzerland, Italy and Slovenia to the list. People of pretty much all Alpine countries are bonkers about their nature hikes. Bus stops on Sunday mornings hosting people with trekking poles NOT waiting on a bus, but a ride to the base of a mountain. Such a beautiful tradtion. Cheers!

[wirelesskiller]

I've gotten into a stage Where she comes in my dreams and guide me all through it in German