Responsible Trails - Portugal
Responsible Trails - Portugal

Welcome to the best trails of Portugal! 

Enter the world of Responsible Trails Portugal (RT), the digital platform that distinguishes, promotes and commercialize trails in the national territory.

 

With an innovative logic, Responsible Trails puts the user at the center of the operation. Report occurrences, integrate the community and enjoy outdoor life!

All routes presented are selected and monitored regularly. Obtain real and updated information, promoting safety and responsible interaction with heritage.

 

All Responsible Trails present full compliance with the requirements and recommendations of code of ethics, actively seeking to continuously improve the experience provided to the user.

The Responsible Trails

Photo: Responsible Trails Editor, Responsible Trails
  • Are regularly monitored and audited;
  • Aims to guarantee maximum user safety;
  • Provides honestly, transparently and updated experience communication;
  • Value the user's opinion, facilitating the continuous evolution of the structure in response to the user's needs;
  • Promotes the valorization and conservation of the heritage where it is inserted (historical / cultural), respecting the good practices associated with each type of heritage.

The responsible user

The Responsible Trails user assumes a prominent role on this platform and has a direct influence on trail management.The user is part of the solution as far as the quality assurance of the lived experience is concerned, since an important occurrencies reporting tool is available, which are communicated to the route management entities.

The possibility of making reviews, commenting, managing the personal page and interacting with the community means that the platform has a very interesting and dynamic social interaction and sharing component.

Responsible Trails Code of Ethics

Transparency of information and the reality of the experience must be an essential requirement on all types of trails. It is important that the information is communicated in a clear and transparent way, so that the user's expectations are not defrauded. The opinion of the user community about the trail is valuable. It must be used to make improvements to the trails and meet the user's needs and desires.
Routes must be properly signposted (whether or not they comply with homologation standards) so that the user is safe, enjoys the infrastructure and has the best experience possible.
User safety should always be one of the main objectives of the promoters of trails. You must prevent users from being exposed to unnecessary risks, harmful to their health and well-being.
This type of structure must always exist on routes, so that the user has as much information as possible, the experience is the best possible and safety will never be compromised. These structures must be in good condition, must be regularly maintained and monitored, so that they do not represent a risk to users.
Bridges, walkways, balconies, handrails, stairs, shelters and other structures play a very important role in the safety of the user and in the overall experience that is lived. Therefore, this structures must always be in a good condition, with constant, regular and adequate maintenance, preventing its use from being transmitted to the user with false security and exposing them to danger.
Trails must be in the best possible condition. The promoter must pay special attention to the condition of the floor, cleaning of vegetation, the existence of garbage and debris, among others.
The trail must explore the maximum points of interest existing in a specific area and provide information about them with the highest possible quality. The network of points of interest and support should be as complete as possible and regularly updated.
Local communities must be involved in the trail implementation projects. Their involvement is essential for the success of the trail and must also meet the needs and expectations of the population. For this, it is necessary to promote contact between visitors and inhabitants, promote well-being as cultural exchanges and also serve the population.
The trails, being structures of permanent animation, should stimulate the local economy, seeking to respond to the interests of the various economic agents. They must also be seen as an activity to boost the economy and for that it is necessary to facilitate the visitor's proximity to the existing services.
The trails, being infrastructures that arise mainly in the natural environment and that stimulate contact with nature, must also communicate good conservation practices and respect for the existing fauna and flora. It's very important that natural values ​​are identified and known by the user community in order to be protected.
All interventions, mainly works and infrastructures, must be integrated in the landscape. For this, whenever possible, it is important: use local and natural materials, respect traditional architecture, study and understand the terrain, install discreet structures, reuse historic buildings, among other solutions, thus trying to avoid hyper-structuring as much as possible and remove protagonism on the way.
External entities, with tutelage or properties in areas crossed by paths (ICNF, army, companies, associations), should always be consulted and involved from the beginning in the trail projects. Their contributions and opinions are very important to avoid conflicts with land use and passages, avoiding problems and ensure the safety of users. ONG's (recreational, youth, sports, environmental, etc.) are important to communicate trails, and should play an active role in their management.