Pättken
Pättken is a dialect - Westphalian , especially especially Muensterlaender term for a small path ( Patt: "Path" -ken: Diminutive ).
Most of these paths were created from dirt roads that farmers used to cultivate their fields. Over time, these dirt roads have also been used as a church path to visit church on Sunday. While the farmers used the carriage, the servants had to walk. The track of the agricultural vehicles that was best to walk on was used. As a result, one side of the dirt road was significantly more worn than the other.
This more-used side of a dirt road and narrow paths between the fields that are only used by pedestrians are Pättken. After there were schools in the towns, the children used these narrow paths to get to school. Over time, these narrow paths were paved a little (sand, glass ash, gravel) so that the church and schools could be reached on foot even in bad weather conditions. In addition, these school and church routes were often the shorter route. In some places, such pattkes were later converted into paved or asphalted footpaths and cycle paths.
The side of a dirt road that was used most often was called “een Patt” in Low German, in the cuteness form “een Pättken” and in the plural “twee Pättkes”.
Many dirt roads were gradually converted into farm roads. They are paved with gravel, but usually paved, about two meters wide and not called Pättken, even if these paths are often used for the so-called Pättkestouren.
Numerous extensive and signposted cycle paths in the Münsterland cycling region run on the Pättkes . The numerous themed routes for cyclists in the Münsterland also lead over the low-traffic Pättkes - hence the name "Pättkestour", as a bike tour on such trails is called in the Münsterland.