Shelter!Welcome to the second "#ShelterChallenge" wednesday update: Like many other german towns #Bielefeld has a big public space for up to 10 camper vans, where (motor-) travellers are allowed to sleep near the city. As far as i know - until now - there is no such public space where this is allowed for #bikepacking-travellers or hikers. My opinion is: This is not fair! We need (minimum) one free public #trekking place with shelters!
Travelling by bike and long distance #hiking are socially inclusive and simple to start with. There should be public infrastructure for it, to boost climatefriendly travelling. Long distance travels by #bike are more common than you may know. While doing research for the "Shelter!" project I found the following great examples:
A selforganised group of students at the "#Oberstufenkolleg" Bielefeld made it their school project in 2022: They cycled through #Denmark and created an informative paper about it: https://www.oberstufen-kolleg.de/radreise-in-daenemark-kleinprojekt-am-os-juni-2022/
The #AdventurePlayground Alte Ziegelei Bielefeld had the project "Nasse Socken am Brocken" ("Wet socks at Brocken mountain") in 2025: Kids planned a bike tour along the north sea coast. Here is the post about the tour they made together with parents and supporters from "Spielen mit Kindern e.V.": https://www.spielen-mit-kindern.de/das-war-unsere-fahrradtour-ans-meer-2025/
And "last, but not least": The project "#FahrRad" ("#RideTheBike") at the Martin Niemöller comprehensive school #Schildesche (I have the honour to do an interview with them tomorrow): Teachers and students planned and made long distance travels together, starting from Bielefeld: #Berlin 2022, #Wien 2023, #Amsterdam 2024, #Paris 2025,... https://www.mnge-bielefeld.de/schulprofil/schulprojekte/fahrrad/#radreise
I'm looking forward to hear some stories from their trips tomorrow. I also hope to gather additional information about how we may achieve a decision in favour of a free public trekking place in Bielefeld. I have one good place for it in mind, near the school at the lake "Obersee" with the famous #Schildesche #Viaduct.
Do you know good places for a trekking place with shelters near Bielefeld? If you are a municipality, institution or private person near Bielefeld and you like to donate a space for a free public trekking place, where a participative shelter building art workshop starting in may 2026 is possible, please send me a message!
Michael Gugat
XR Bielefeld (⧖)
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Christian Pietsch (old acct.)