MTSZ
MTSZ térképportál
Turista Magazin
TuristaShop
Kéktúra
Gerecse50
A kéktúrázás napja
-
Ice deflector at OderteichPhoto: Grabenwaerter .de, Community
Themed circular hike along three still-operational ditches of the Upper Harz Water Management UNESCO World Heritage.
The path starts at one of the oldest dams in Germany, the Oderteich, and follows the Rehberger Graben, the Sonnenberger Graben built in the mid-16th century, and a short section along the "Hühnerbrühe Graben" back to the parking lot at the Oderteich.
The Andreasberg slope, to which these ditches belong, is the last really operational slope of the Upper Harz Water Management. Water has been flowing in these ditches for over 450 years in some parts.
At the Rehberger Grabenhaus, the residence of the ditch keeper and now a forest tavern, there is an opportunity to stop for a break halfway through the hike.
This circular route introduces us to the water collection and transport ditches of the former Andreasberg mining district.
For the mines of the Andreasberg district, all situated on the mountain, the old miners needed feed water for the arts and wheels used in the extraction of silver ores. This feed water was initially collected near St. Andreasberg; in 1703, with the construction of the "Old Rehberger Graben," they began to tap the waters of the Rehberg, the Sonnenberg, and the distant Oder.
The route begins at the Oderteich, built between 1714 and 1721, with its dam made of cyclopean masonry and a view of the "Große Ausflut" (overflow) of the pond.
At the dam foot, we experience the bubbling birth of the "New Rehberger Graben." This ditch, built in 1721, initially from "Gefludern" and later fully reinforced with the existing granite, is followed beyond the Rehberger Grabenhaus to its confluence with the "Sonnenberger Graben."
Interested hikers have the opportunity to follow the ditch a bit further (about 1 km) to see how the water disappears into the Gesehr watercourse, which leads under the Gesehr mountain to the former distributary ditches of St. Andreasberg.
From the confluence of the waters of the Sonnenberger Graben with the Rehberger Graben, our path leads over the Dreibrode parking lot to the romantic Sonnenberger Graben, built in the 16th century. This ditch, designed with steep gradients, collects the waters of the eastern Rehberg and the Sonnenberg to supply the Andreasberg mines in earlier centuries.
From the start of the Sonnenberger Graben, our path leads through the Sonnenberg ski area to the moorlands at the foot of the Bruchberg, which serve especially as a "storage sponge" for the Hühnerbrühe Graben. In dry summers, the moorlands release their water into the stream here, called "Hühnerbrühe."
The name probably comes from the humic acid-containing water, with a yellow/brown coloration, similar to chicken broth. The unique diversion structure built of heavy granite stones from the Hühnerbrühe to the ditch, located in the core zone of the Harz National Park, cannot be visited for conservation reasons. Therefore, we have to be content with the parts of the Hühnerbrühe ditch accessible at the Oderteich along the road over the draining moorlands.
All ditches still operate today with their original water volume as centuries ago. Today, these ditches supply water to two turbine plants in the Samson shaft to generate "green electricity."
The Samson shaft can be visited as part of an excursion to the "Grube Samson" http://www.grube-samson.de/.
Author’s recommendation
On hot summer days, the hike can be combined with a swimming break at the Oderteich.
At the Rehberger Grabenhaus, there is a small exhibition about the Upper Harz Water Management with a replica of a "Gefluder" used on the old Rehberger Graben.
The forest tavern Rehberger Grabenhaus is also reachable within a 15-minute walk from the Dreibrode parking lot, near the International House Sonnenberg on the L519.
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
Track types
Safety information
In rain and wet conditions, the path from the dam crest down to the start of the Rehberger Graben can be slippery.
In rainy weather, puddles form on the narrow path by the Sonnenberger Graben. You should not be without sturdy footwear here.
Tips and suggestions
Afterwards, you can visit the mining museum "Grube Samson" with one of the last preserved "Fahrkunst" in the world as well as two water wheels from the mining era in the original mine building.
Many more information about the Upper Harz Water Management World Heritage can be found at:
Roadbook
From the parking lot at Oderteich, we cross over the Hühnerbrühegraben located on the other side over the dam of the Oderteich.
After we have crossed the barrier of the "Große Ausflut," we cross the road again and immediately turn right, over the small bridge, along the "Große Ausflut" down to the dam foot of the Oderteich.
Here we meet the New Rehberger Graben, which begins here below, in the Widerwaage at the foot of the Oderteich.
We follow the ditch, initially on a hiking trail, later on the wide, developed service road, beyond the Rehberger Grabenhaus, to the confluence with the Sonnenberger Graben coming down the slope from the right.
If you wish, you can follow the ditch a little further to the "Gesehrwasserlauf" and then return here.
From the confluence of the Sonnenberger Graben with the Rehberger Graben, we now follow the asphalted forest road up to the Dreibrode parking lot.
Arriving at the parking lot, we turn right to go through the gate of the cross-country ski trail over to the Sonnenberger Graben.
Now our path leads along the small, cheerfully babbling ditch to a small diversion structure at its beginning.
The ditch almost disappears next to the path but runs almost up to a small shelter on the Sonnenberg.
Shortly before we reach the shelter, our path turns uphill over a forest road branching off to the right in front of it, over to the Sonnenberg settlement.
Over the parking lot at Sonnenberg, after crossing the B242, the path leads east, where at the end of another parking lot the small, romantically wild path begins that leads us back to the parking lot at Oderteich.
Alternatively, the route can also be started from the Dreibrode parking lot or from one of the parking lots at Sonnenberg. Here the parking situation is usually much more relaxed than at the much-frequented Oderteich.
Public transport
If arriving by train, Bad Harzburg should be chosen as the final station.
From there there is an hourly bus connection to Braunlage. You travel to the junction of the Harzhochstraße (B242) from the B4. From there it is about 600 m along the road to the Oderteich.
Alternatively, a bus connection from Goslar station via Clausthal-Zellerfeld and Altenau to St. Andreasberg can be chosen. The hike then begins at the Dreibrode parking lot or in Sonnenberg.
The bus ride from Goslar to Sonnenberg takes about 1.5 hours; the trip from Bad Harzburg to the junction of the B242 takes about 30 minutes.
Directions
The parking lots at Oderteich or in the village of "Sonnenberg" are directly on the B242, the "Hochharzstraße," and are conveniently accessible by car.Parking
Free parking at the Oderteich.
Alternatively, the hike can also be started at the Dreibrode parking lot on the L519 towards St. Andreasberg or at one of the parking lots at Sonnenberg.
Coordinates
Book recommendation by the author
Water hiking trails: a guide through the Upper Harz Water Regale - UNESCO World Heritage; [with GPS coordinates] Author: Martin Schmidt; Publisher: Justus Teicke, 4th edition;
Papierflieger-Verlag, 2012 ISBN 3869482001, 9783869482002
Haase, Hugo; Lampe Wolfgang (1985): Engineering structures of old water management in the Upper Harz, 5th edition: Clausthal-Zellerfeld. (Antiquarian)
Author’s map recommendations
Hiking in the West Harz, Topographical special edition 1/50,000
ISBN: 3-89435-616-2
Book recommendations for this region:
Equipment
Sturdy footwear and a backpack with day provisions if you do not want to stop at the Rehberger Grabenhaus.Localization
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
User Questions