- 5:30 h
- 21.94 km
- 582 m
- 347 m
- 556 m
- 804 m
- 248 m
- Start: Buntenbock
- Destination: Torfhaus
Do you know the "Sperberhaier Dam"? The impressive structure, built by hand, once served to supply water to the Clausthal mines, as did the numerous ponds, ditches, and watercourses (= underground canals) of the UNESCO World Heritage "Upper Harz Water Management System".
The water mouths, entrance and exit points of the water into the underground, are still partially visible. Take note of the "Dennert-Tanne," the yellow Harz-typical information boards shaped like a conifer, the building material of the miners. Passing Altenau, we enter the Harz National Park. If lucky, we might encounter a shy lynx - the king of the Harz forests, which is being reintroduced here. Get information at the Torfhaus National Park House and join a hike with the National Park ranger.
Good to know
Best to visit
Directions
From now on, water determines our path. The UNESCO World Heritage "Upper Harz Water Management System" today consists of over 90 ponds, almost 100 kilometers of water ditches, and numerous historic structures. Water once drove water wheels that transported ore to the surface and drained the mines. It was distributed over the entire Upper Harz from the precipitation-rich Brocken. Clausthal and Altenau, as well as St. Andreasberg on the Harzer-Hexen-Stieg bypass, were free mining towns. They had market and pasture rights, and the residents were exempt from military service for their lord. The water rights described the right to divert and use water for mining purposes.
Huttaler Widerwaage, Polsterberger Hubhaus, Sperberhaier Dam, Grabenhaus Rose, Dammgraben … On many display boards along the way, the structures of the Upper Harz Water Management System are lovingly and accurately described. This brings historic mining to life, which accompanies us at every step.
Beyond Altenau, still in the mining catchment area, we enter the Harz National Park. We will only leave it again at Drei Annen Hohne. The witch symbol on the impressive wooden signposts now shows us the way. The spruce forest still stands dense, but more and more fallen giant trees with their root plates over man-high mix into the scenery. Here, nature is allowed to be nature again; the forest remains untidy. We follow the Dammgraben to its beginning and then climb somewhat steeper to Torfhaus, the stage’s destination.
Additional information
The Harzer-Hexen-Stieg is supported by Harz Energie, the Sparkassen along the route and Blankenburger Wiesenquell.
Literature
Author
Andreas Lehmberg
Organization
Harz: Magische Gebirgswelt
License (master data)
Author´s Tip / Recommendation of the author
Not directly on the route, but the detour is worth it: The Polsterberger Hubhaus today houses a very nice forest inn. The products on the seasonal menu all come from the region. Especially delicious are the fresh and homemade cakes.
Opening hours
June to October: Daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
November to May: Wednesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
and by arrangement
Contact
Beate Engel, Polsterberg 1, 38678 Clausthal-Zellerfeld
Phone 05323 5581, Fax 05323 715507
polsterberger-hubhaus@harz.de, www.polsterberger-hubhaus.harz.de
Map
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