Enjoy Bike Paradise I Star Tour 05 I Once around the Brocken massif

We start our tour at the Bad Harzburg tourist information, which is directly adjacent to the idyllic Kurpark. At the Burgberg cable car, we cross federal highway 4, which conveniently takes motorists to Torfhaus. We, on the other hand, use our e-motor for assistance and tackle the climb with muscle power. We cycle along Kalte Tal Street along the treetop path, which in combination with the tree root path and the tree cable railway is worth a visit. We see the walkways and platforms from below and cycle quite relaxed under the tall deciduous and coniferous trees. The babbling of the stream in the Kalte Tal accompanies us. We continue to follow the path, which winds increasingly uphill through the forest. To our right lies the Molkenhaus, which is ideal for a stop and a popular destination for hikers and cyclists. Our path continues to the Eckertalsperre dam, which serves not only for drinking water supply and flood protection. The border between the federal states of Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt runs right through the dam. We can make a detour to the dam from where we have a clear view of the Brocken on good weather, which we will circle today. On the Lower Saxony and thus western side of the Eckertalsperre, we follow the signpost to the ski monument. A rather inconspicuous place, but initiated by the Braunschweig Ski Club, it is meant to commemorate the sports friends who fell in the First World War. We use the motor and cycle further uphill. At the height of the Ecker crossing, we turn right into Ulmer Weg and follow it a short distance without major height differences. At the coming fork, we turn sharp left into Jobst-Peter-Weg, which leads us straight to Torfhaus. We are at the lower end of the Torfhaus toboggan lift but can follow the paved path up to the parking lot and visitor center, either to visit it or alternatively stop in the local gastronomy. We continue over Schubensteinweg. It ends in Kaiserweg, which we follow turning right. Finally, we reach Goetheweg, which leads us in the poet’s footsteps through the idyllic Torfhaus Moor to Eckersprung, the source of the small river Ecker. At the fork, we have a choice: left uphill to Brocken or right downhill on Goetheweg to the Bodesprung. Here we cycle on former border and patrol paths and let ourselves be thoroughly shaken on the descent towards Braunlage. We reach the triangular post marking the border between Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. In the past, this stone marked the border between the Kingdom of Hanover and the Duchy of Brunswick. Later, between the GDR and the Federal Republic. We cross onto Ulmer Weg, which takes us through wooded areas and past moors towards the Große Bode, whose course we follow on Große Bodestraße. We cycle past the foot of the Wurmberg, which at 971 meters is the highest mountain in Lower Saxony and the second highest elevation in the Harz. Upon arrival in Braunlage, we cycle past the valley station of the Wurmberg cable car, which can take us to the summit in no time. Instead of continuing the route, we can spend the night in one of the numerous accommodations in Braunlage and continue the tour the next day or stop for a break and then continue with the second part. Otherwise, we turn left into Elbingeröder Straße and shortly after the Sanatorium Dr. Barner turn right at the parking lot onto the bike path and follow it parallel to the federal highway. The bike path ends in a single trail, which we also cycle or alternatively can use the road. Along the way, we pass the border point and cross the border from Lower Saxony to Saxony-Anhalt. At the slight right bend of the federal highway, we turn left into Alte Braunlager Straße. We follow this until the third turnoff and then turn right. We are now in the small town of Elend, known for the smallest wooden church in Germany. A maximum of 90 people find space in the 60 square meter interior. We turn left into Braunlager Straße, which takes us directly past the church meadow where the wooden church is located. Through the roundabout, we drive diagonally straight onto the main street, cross the tracks, and turn right into Bahnhofstraße. At the end, we turn left into Feuersteinstraße and at the edge of the town into Alte Heerstraße, which we follow alongside the railway line. We cycle on the traces of the East and West routes and ultimately turn into Sachshäuweg to follow the road northeast towards Drei Annen Hohne. With some luck, we see one of the historic narrow-gauge railways of the Harz since we cycle directly past the station. At the edge of town, we turn left into Eschwegestraße and head directly to the Nature Experience Center HohneHof. A visit is worthwhile even for big explorers. Additionally, the farm café offers snacks and drinks. We continue cycling to the next intersection. There, we turn left and shortly after turn right into Eschwegerstraße. We keep cycling through the Harz National Park and stay on our path. Shortly after crossing the Kleine Renne, we turn left into Huyseburger-Häu-Weg towards Ilsenburg. We cycle through wooded areas, open spaces, and pass the Plessenburg forest inn, where we can stop for a break and replenish energy for the next part of the tour. At the intersection we meet after about 200 meters, we turn left into Loddenke path. We follow the path, which offers us great views from time to time and finally leads into Jagdweg. We follow this path to Bremer Hütte, where we turn sharply right into Ilsetal. From then on, we follow the course of the Ilse through the romantically wild Ilsetal. We cycle past the Ilsefalls, see and hear the power of the water. Path and water accompany us to Ilsenburg. We cycle into the town center and turn left behind the trout pond to then exit the roundabout by the third exit onto Kastanienallee. We follow this to the end and then turn right into Ilsenburger Stieg. We are now back in the forest and follow the R1 Eurovelo route, connecting Ilsenburg with Bad Harzburg. We pass Eckerkrug at the former Jungborn spa and cross the Ecker and the former inner-German border. On Ilsenburger Stieg we continue cycling westward — always through the forest. At the height of the former Waldhöhe sports ground in Bad Harzburg, we turn right into Stübchentalstraße and follow it until we turn left twice and follow Fritz-König-Straße. From there, it goes right into Sachsenhof, from there into Lutherstraße, then from Goslarsche Straße to the city park, and straight to the tourist information at the Kurpark, where we started from.