The Spore Trail

Code of Conduct & Disclaimer

Please read this before your first walk. It's short, and it's what lets this stay a relaxed, welcoming group for everyone.

This page is a plain-language draft, not legal advice. It was written to give a small, informal group a clear, fair starting point, not reviewed by a German lawyer. If you plan to run regular public walks, especially with strangers signing up online, it's worth having a Rechtsanwalt review this text, particularly the liability and data protection sections, before you publish it.

Code of conduct

Two simple ideas cover almost everything: respect the land, and respect each other.

Disclaimer, walk at your own risk

The Spore Trail is an informal, unguided leisure activity organized by Reem ("the organizer"). The organizer is not a certified hiking guide, wilderness guide, or mushroom-identification expert, and this is not a guided tour in any professional sense.

Participation is entirely voluntary and at each participant's own risk. Walking on uneven forest terrain carries inherent risks, including but not limited to slips, falls, weather exposure, and encounters with plants, insects, or wildlife. Each participant is responsible for judging their own fitness for a given walk, wearing suitable footwear and clothing, and staying within their own limits.

Nothing said or shown during a walk, including any casual identification of a species, is a substitute for professional or expert verification. As covered on our safety page, no mushroom found on a walk is ever eaten, and this guidance applies whether or not the organizer or another participant offers an opinion on what something is.

To the extent permitted by German law, the organizer's liability is limited to intent (Vorsatz) and gross negligence (grobe Fahrlässigkeit). For ordinary negligence, liability is limited to the breach of a material contractual duty (Kardinalpflicht) and, even then, to damage that was foreseeable and typical for this kind of activity. Liability for injury to life, body, or health remains unaffected in all cases, as required by law.

Participants under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, who retains full responsibility for supervision throughout the walk. Participants are encouraged to carry their own personal liability and accident insurance, as the organizer carries none on their behalf.

Cancellation policy

If you've signed up for a walk and can't make it, please cancel at least 12 hours before the scheduled start time, by replying to your confirmation email or using the contact page, so the spot can go to someone on the waitlist.

Walks are currently offered free of charge. If that ever changes, this page will be updated with the relevant refund terms. Repeated late cancellations or no-shows may affect priority for future waitlisted spots.

Governing law

This page is governed by the law of the Federal Republic of Germany. If any part of it is found invalid, the rest remains in effect. For data handling specifics, see our Privacy Policy; for the legally required site operator details, see our Impressum.