Enjoyment Bike Paradise | Stage 10a | Wernigerode - Schöningen

We start our stage at the market square of the historic half-timbered town of Wernigerode, also called "the colorful town at the Harz." The medieval town hall and the "Tilted House" are worthwhile photo spots. In addition, the narrow-gauge railway network of the Harz Narrow Gauge Railways connects Wernigerode with the Brocken. We head north and follow the course of the Holtemme on a comfortable bike path. The river is always in sight on our right. We stay on the Holtemme bike path and pass Reddeber, Minsleben, and Silstedt. Shortly before Derenburg, a visit to the glass manufactory Harzkristall is recommended, where you can watch glassblowers and try glassblowing yourself. At Mahndorf near Halberstadt, we turn onto Mahndorf village street, leading us north to the chess village of Ströbeck. The inhabitants of Ströbeck have maintained a chess tradition since the Middle Ages, which has given the place a unique feature and has been recognized as intangible cultural heritage in Germany. The chess museum was destroyed by fire in November 2019 and is currently being restored. Until further notice, visitor access is closed. Via Aspenstedt street, we reach the village of the same name and then head northeast over the wooded Huy ridge into the Northern Harz foreland. The Huy consists almost entirely of beech forest and reaches a highest point of 314.8 meters. Here, we cover some altitude. We cycle along the imposing Benedictine monastery Huysburg, head towards the Röderhof monastery, and finally leave the forested area near Dingelstedt. The tour leads through the hilly Harz foreland and the Große Bruch, a biologically important wetland in the former inner-German border region. Along the way, we pass the villages of Anderbeck, Badersleben, Dedeleben, Jerxheim, Söllingen, and Hoiersdorf until reaching Schöningen, where our stage ends at the castle square near Schöningen Castle, which now houses a hotel.