Circular route to the open-air and small border museum Sorge (HWN 46)

The starting point of the hike is the signposted Ebersbachstraße car park.

There, follow the signs towards the Open-Air Border Museum. You walk about 1 km along the gravel path to the entrance of the open-air museum. Information boards illustrate interesting facts about the border and the border opening. Additionally, along the path to the right, you can enjoy a fantastic view of Brocken and Wurmberg. From the border fence (border museum entrance), continue straight ahead for about 500 m along the so-called "Kolonnenweg" to the observation tower. Various displays with links to the audio guide provide information about the inner-German border. Continue on the Kolonnenweg towards the "Ring of Remembrance" and the stamping point of the Harz hiking badge.

From here, we continue our hike by going back along the paved path towards the observation tower. Upon reaching the tower, follow the Kolonnenweg to the left, with a view of Bocken. After about 1.2 km, you reach a fork where you keep right towards Sorge. You walk on an idyllic path towards the Ebersbachstraße car park.

After crossing the small wooden bridge, you reach a rest area with a hut. From there, you have a perfect view of the tracks of the Harz narrow-gauge railway. With some luck, it might be steam-breathing past you.

Back at the parking lot, you hike into the small Harz village of Sorge. At the Försterbergstraße intersection, keep right, follow the small Köhlerbergstraße, and cross the railway tracks. On the left, you can already see the Small Border Museum. You can find the opening hours of the museum here.

Continue about 400 m along Benneckensteiner Straße. At the car park, keep right and walk up the small street by the houses. From there, follow the path along the sports field, the beautiful mountain meadows with enchanting views of the village of Sorge and of Brocken and Wurmberg. Several benches invite you to linger, picnic, and enjoy.

After about 700 m, you come to a paved road. Keep right and then immediately left after a few steps. Continue on a natural path to Ochsenbach. Once you reach the gravel path, keep right towards the railway bridge. After the railway bridge, you have reached your starting point.

Sturdy footwear, functional clothing, backpack provisions, sun and rain protection are recommended.

Remember to bring a (mobile phone) camera, the stamp booklet of the Harz hiking badge, and optionally binoculars.

You can reach Sorge by car:

- from the direction of Wernigerode via B244, turnoff Elbingerode B27, then continue to turnoff Königshütte B242 and in Tanne via B242 towards Braunlage

- from the direction of Braunlage via B242, towards Tanne

- from the direction of Nordhausen via B4 to turnoff L98 Benneckenstein, then towards Tanne and via B242 towards Braunlage

Parking lot Border Museum (Ebersbachstraße) 

Note:  From here it is still about 1.2 km on foot to the open-air border museum.

The Harz village Sorge can be reached by bus of the Harz Transport Services

from the direction of Wernigerode

or

by the Harz narrow-gauge railways from the direction of Wernigerode or Nordhausen.

The INSA – your route planner for local transport in Saxony-Anhalt >>

TIP: 

With the Harz holiday ticket, you are free to travel throughout the entire Harz district.

HATIX – free use of public bus lines of the Harz Transport Services, the Q-Bus local transport company, the Halberstädt Traffic GmbH, and the South Harz Transport Company in the Harz district. Now also free use in the districts of Goslar and Göttingen.

More information is available at: www.hatix.info

Tourist Information Elend

Main Street 19

38875 Oberharz am Brocken OT Elend

Telephone 039455 - 375

elend@oberharzinfo.de

www.oberharzinfo.de

Unfortunately, no literature is known.

On this route, you have the opportunity to collect a stamp of the Harz hiking badge.

No. 46 - Border Museum (at the Ring of Remembrance)

TIP for families with children:

A detour to the village is definitely worthwhile. There is a small border museum right next to the station of the Harz narrow-gauge railway, a small children’s playground and, with some luck, the narrow-gauge railway might be puffing by.

The open-air border museum as well as the small border museum belong to the association premises of the "Grenzmuseum Sorge e.V." association

Please observe the safety and access conditions of the association here.

More information is available here: www.grenzmuseum-sorge.de

On some route sections, there may be temporary disturbances, detours, and path closures at any time due to forest changes and storm damage. Please check shortly before your hike. Current information can be found here >

More information on the topic of forest change can be found here>

Hiking map - town of Oberharz am Brocken 1:25000; ISBN 978-3-86973-065-3