We start in the middle of Braunlage and follow the Warm Bode past Gondelteich and Kurpark towards the south. We ride gently downhill on historic paths and follow the cycle path on the track of the former South Harz railway. This was completed in 1899 and was originally built for the transport of raw materials on the route from Walkenried to Braunlage. It was decommissioned in 1962 and now offers hikers and leisure cyclists a unique experience in diverse nature. Our route goes through the Bachtäler nature reserve in the Upper Harz around Braunlage, which is characterized by natural streams and spring bogs. The track winds along the mountain slopes in gentle curves and bends. We ride through wooded areas and across open wide spaces. About three kilometers before the town of Wieda, we meet the river of the same name, which we then follow into the town. We pass through it and cycle parallel to Wiedaer Straße to Walkenried. In the monastery town, you should definitely visit the Cistercian Museum Kloster Walkenried, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2010. The museum within the monastery walls is one of the most beautiful and innovative monastery museums in Europe. Also worth seeing is the UNESCO World Heritage Information Center Walkenried located in the manor house, which provides guests and locals with an overview of the World Heritage in the Harz. After our cultural pause, we ride mentally refreshed westwards past Priorteich and Sachsenstein and enjoy the varied nature of the gypsum karst landscape Bad Sachsa and Walkenried. We also pass through the spa town Bad Sachsa and cycle on Steinaer Straße to the neighboring village of Steina, where we turn right and head towards the Steina reservoir. Via winding forest paths, we pass Wiesenbeker Teich with its eponymous campsite. Through the district of Wiesenbek, we reach Bad Lauterberg, which we cycle and explore along the Oder river. We follow the river up to just behind Scharzfeld, whose stone church invites a short visit. In the round-arched cave in the dolomite rock, hunting materials from the Paleolithic period were found, some of which were used by reindeer hunters as early as 15,000 BC. Above the B27, we ride to Herzberg am Harz, where we pass the idyllic Juessee and the smaller Ochsenpfuhl pond. We reach Hörden am Harz via field paths and from there continue to Düna. Soon Osterode comes into view, where our stage ends at Jacobitor.
