- Some initial incentive is required, e.g. a shortcut
- The footpath is initially brought about by few people
- A large number of participants is required, otherwise the path may not come into existence
- Every participant somehow contributes to the footpath’s development
- The participants do not generally contribute with any aim in mind, they build a footpath but do not want to build a footpath
- The participants may not act consciously
- The footpath changes its characteristics with an increasing number of participants, it becomes wider, more fixed
- The footpath develops gradually, it does not emerge overnight
- The footpath may coexist with the official path, sometimes for a long period of time
- The footpath may eventually become the official path
- The footpath is not usually used by everyone, some will prefer the official path
- It is difficult to stop the emergence of a footpath, interference from outside is not usually successful