4. Stage of the VIA ROMEA
„HARZ“ – ROYAL AREA AROUND THE „BROCKEN
South of the “Großer Bruch”, the Harz Mountains with the Brocken massif (1141 metres) stretches out as if it were a bolt that has to be crossed on the VIA ROMEA. The Harz mountains and its foothills are rich in evidence of secular and spiritual power: Hornburg Castle, Wernigerode Castle, the old royal Castle of Bodfeld near Elbingerode, Stiege Castle or Hohnstein Castle in front of Nordhausen.
Tour description
16 HORNBURG – OSTERWIECK
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From Hornburg in Lower Saxony, our journey leads us over the former German domestic border to Osterwieck in Saxony-Anhalt. Along the elevation of the “Kleiner Fallstein”, there are many wonderful views of the Harz with its foothills.
Foto: Stadt Hornburg, Henning Meyer
Tour description
17 OSTERWIECK – WERNIGERODE
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On small country roads through small villages of the foothills of the Harz Mountains, the tour goes steadily a little bit uphill. The highlight of the hiking tour is reached shortly before Wernigerode: the “Charlottenlust”.
Tour description
18 WERNIGERODE – ELBINGERODE
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This day stage of the VIA ROMEA through the half-timbered town Wernigerode to Elbingerode leads through the Harz forests to the plateau near Elbingerode.
Tour description
19 ELBINGERODE – HASSELFELDE
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On the Elbingerode high plateau, we go through the chulk mining area, into a wooded area. Along the “Königshütte”, direction of “Rappbodetalsperre”, we pass the “Königsburg”. The tour ends in Hasselfelde on the market.
Tour description
20 HASSELFELDE – NEUSTADT/HARZ
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This stage of the VIA ROMEA leads through the forest for long distances. It is relatively flat and there is only a slight gradient towards the end.
Tour description
21 NEUSTADT/HARZ – NORDHAUSEN
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Starting point in Neustadt is the St. Georg church. From there, the tour takes you from the forests of the Harz to the wide countryside of the southern Harz. After a hike through the landscape of the southern Harz, we reach Nordhausen.
