Wandern#
Hiking, popular pastime in Austria. All the Austrian provinces have numerous signposted regional hiking routes, plus 10 Austrian and 4 European long-distance hiking routes (E4: Pyrenees-Jura-Lake Neusiedl-Budapest, E5: Lake Constance-Adriatic, E6: Baltic Sea-Wachau-Adriatic, E8: North Sea-Rhine-Main-Danube-Carpathian Mountains). In the vicinity of Vienna, the Vienna Woods hiking routes are particularly popular. For the complete tour of certain hiking routes, trophies (Wandernadeln) are awarded. Hiking routes and mountain refuges are established and maintained by the Alpine Clubs. The "Austrian Volkssport Association" organised in the "International Federation of Popular Sports" (founded in 1966, located in Wels) is responsible for organising various events (e.g. "People´s Hiking Days"). Other associations which organise hiking events include the Europaeische Volkssportgemeinschaft (EVG) and the Oesterreichischer Fachverband fuer Sportwandern, Weitwandern und Trekking (OeFS, Austrian federation for Powerwalking, Long Distance Walking and Trekking).The nationwide "Fit-Marsch" (fitness hike) is held annually on the Austrian national holiday (October, 26); Austrian schools regularly organise outings and hiking days.