The paths also vary widely, from broad tracks usable by cyclists or horses, to narrow mountain paths. It should also be stressed that these routes by no means represent all that a particular country has to offer the walker. They are primarily designed as cross-country routes, and as such are inevitably selective, missing out some fine landscapes or cultural monuments. They should however provide a sampler of the scenic and cultural variety that is Europe, and should encourage walkers to widen their horizons by exploring the continent on foot. Wandern und Kultur by Robert Wurst, published by Styria of Graz.
Few people have the time or the stamina to tackle a whole route in one go.
Consequently, the demand for guidebooks to the whole of a particular route is minimal, especially given the lack of a common language, and the fact that much of the information is quickly out of date. The information given here and in the overview publications should therefore be used in conjunction with local guidebooks and maps. There are a couple of German guidebooks which cover popular multi-country sections for some of the routes, and these are mentioned in the individual route pages.