We have already written before (and more recently here) about one of the world’s best inline skating networks of trails, the Flaeming region in Germany. Read that post first if you are not familiar with the trails. But how did it come to be?
We checked in with our friend Uwe Kuhlmey, the owner and operator of one of the main hotels used by skaters and bikers of the trail, the Hotel Zum Eichenkranz. The Eichenkranz is perfectly located just steps from the trail and boasts a nice restaurant and outdoor beer garden. We use the hotel for the first and last nights of our Flaeming Skating & Biking Adventure.
Uwe told us that a former district administrator, Peer Giesike, had the idea after a vacation in France with a friend. (Note: We also heard this idea generation happened in The Netherlands.) The friend showed him a circular 10-kilometer cycle path that was wide and well paved and attracted skaters to it. This idea stuck with him and, on the drive home, he thought about building a similar circular route in the flat Brandenburg landscape of the Teltow-Fläming district, south of Berlin.
He presented the idea to the government, applied for funding, and then construction began. The first circular route to be completed was what is called the RK 2 (Rundkurs or round course), at 12.5 km. It quickly became clear that it was a major attraction and more routes followed. Eventually, the large loop, RK 1 at 98 kilometers, was completed. The Flaeming Skate network was on.
Now, we at Zephyr Adventures have seen many places that create great paths and then let them deteriorate over time. That is not happening with the Flaeming region, which does an amazing job not just of patching but actually repaving the network as needed. Uwe told us the Teltow-Fläming district spends about €600,000 per year on maintenance and upkeep.
So is it working to attract skaters? Here is Uwe: “For me, as a hotel and restaurant owner, the path is of great importance during the summer months. It brings tourists to this region who wouldn’t have come otherwise. And then they stay and eat with us, which increases my revenue and allows us to create jobs. The guests come from all walks of life. Families with children, senior citizens in cycling groups, recreational skaters, speed skaters, e-bike riders – all completely different. You could say it’s a 50/50 split between skaters and cyclists. They come from all over Europe.“
Uwe is more integrated in the Flaeming Skate concept than just running one of the local hotels. He is a skater himself and is involved with the nearby skating track oval, which racing teams use to train and regular folks use for exercise. He even rents inline skates to visitors who did not bring them along. He is invested in the concept and thrilled when groups like ours – that rare breed of skaters from North America – comes to his little region of the world.
For the world’s best inline skating network of paths, join us on our Flaeming Skating & Biking Adventure!
