FOLIAGE EDUCATIONAL TRAIL
The canopy trail of the Gerecse Hills nestles into its environment, almost disappearing in the forest, and its circle-shape is only outlined on closer inspection. Around and among the trees, in the heart of nature, a perfect geometrical component appears by means of engineering and industrial structures linking two villages together and bridging a stream. Almost horizontal, the ring system with an inner diameter of 44 metres and an inclination of 9% is supported by 1-11 metre high steel pillars of 30-centimetre diametres that are slightly tilted, but perpendicular to the pavement. Each part of the struts is exposed: the pillars hold wrap-around beams with circle segments that in turn support the metal structure holding the trail itself which is made up of oak pavement planks and a lattice of handrails. The stability of the avenue seemingly floating is provided by the straining wires that meet in the middle in a steel ring, whilst its sideway movements are dampened by poles. This trail actually gives us a lesson of statics too: it almost entirely screens the hidden inter- play of physical forces, whilst showing how to build a foliage trail in the air which appears light-weight in spite of the dimensions of its steel structure.
