When you think of the Harz Mountains, the first thing that comes to mind is the Brocken. But there is not much up there for bikers. On the northern edge of the low mountain range, on the outskirts of Goslar, the trails wind through the forest for kilometres. We asked the locals to show us the best tours.
Tour 1: Reservoir circuit
- Length: 49 kilometres
- Uphill: 1060 metres in altitude
- Journey time: 3.5 hours
- Difficulty: medium difficult
Tour description
On the northern edge of the Harz Mountains, one reservoir follows the next. The lakes are used to supply drinking water and protect against flooding. As harmless as the low mountain range may seem, it can be quite dangerous in the foothills when it rains continuously. The tour runs between the Innerste reservoir in the far west of the Harz and the Grane reservoir near Goslar. A glance at the distance should make it clear that you have to factor in a charging stop when using high support levels. If you mainly ride in Eco mode, you can manage with one battery charge. Before setting off, the cafés on the market square in Goslar tempt you in for a quick espresso. Then you're ready to go.
Right on the outskirts of the city, the house trails of the locals take to the terrain. A brisk figure-of-eight loop over the Steinberg serves as a warm-up, garnished with marvellous panoramic views over the city. Briefly switch on the turbo at the steep uphill sections - this is when trail surfing is the most fun. After a short gravel section, a flowing path runs along the slope towards the Grane reservoir. Soon you can catch a glimpse of the water level through a few gaps in the forest. After crossing the dam wall, the route plunges back into the forest. A few trails later, you arrive at the old diabase quarry, which was closed in 1986. Nature has long since reclaimed the landscape. And today the mini-canyon is a fascinating biotope. Winding forest paths lead to the next highlight: a dream trail leads from Bielstein down to Lautenthal. In between, there are some spectacular viewpoints that call for a stop. The route works its way along the Innerste to Wolfshagen. A break in the garden of the Tannengrund restaurant (southern edge of the village) is an opportunity to recharge your batteries. Because two climbs await on the last ten kilometres that demand energy. The finale puts another grin on your face: from Steinberg, the last flow trails of the day swing back down into the town.
Tour 2: Harz Water Regal
- Length: 43 kilometres
- Uphill: 834 metres in altitude
- Journey time: 3 hours
- Difficulty: medium difficult
Tour description
A good question for Günther Jauch's "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" would be: What is a water rack? Definitely not a storage rack in a drinks store! The so-called Upper Harz Water Shelf extends in the triangle between the towns of Hahnenklee, Clausthal-Zellerfeld and Schulenberg. Pretty big for a shelf? Not at all, because in this case it is a series of smaller and larger reservoirs. In mining times, they were used to power water wheels, which in turn drove pumps. Of interest to bikers, however, are the kilometres of connecting ditches between the lakes, which are usually accompanied by winding paths.
After starting at Goslar's market square, the paths south of the Steinberg lead quickly towards the mountains. The upper cliff path is just as spectacular as its name suggests: A marvellous trail always leads along the slope, where rock formations repeatedly protrude from the forest. Afterwards, there are around 200 metres of elevation gain on the programme, leading up to Hahnenklee. There is even a bike park with a cable car on the Bocksberg. After the Bockswiese district, you pass the first ponds. But before the trail fun begins, you can fortify yourself with a monstrous slice of cake at Café Egerland on the upper Grumbach pond. Here you can also recharge your battery if required. The following four kilometres are dominated by narrow paths. The bumpy root passages are a feast for trail fans. The challenge lies somewhere between technique and flow. On the passage between Festenburg and Schulenberg, you have the Brocken firmly in view. The highest mountain in the Harz is directly ahead, but it looks closer than it is!
There is also a small bike park with a family atmosphere near Schulenberg. The Oker reservoir is intertwined like a fjord between the mountains. At its dam wall (with a kiosk and snack bar), you roll down the road for two kilometres before heading uphill again at the Romkerhall waterfall. A very hidden trail (!) winds its way to Oker. And the last few kilometres to Goslar are also peppered with some pretty trails.
Tour 3: North rim trails
- Length: 55 kilometres
- Uphill: 1460 metres in altitude
- Journey time: 4.5 hours
- Difficulty: medium difficult
Tour description
The best Harz trails are not to be found in the centre of the mountain range, as you might expect, but on its steep northern edge. The network of trails stretches from Goslar via Bad Harzburg and Wernigerode to Thale in the eastern Harz. If you're up for it, you can cover endless metres in altitude here. This tour gives a small impression of this, which is almost impossible to complete without recharging the battery en route (see tips for the lunch break). There are too many ups and downs, as you can easily see from the saw blade profile. And with the sometimes complicated course of the route, you learn to appreciate a GPS device! The festival of trails begins on the outskirts of Goslar. You climb the Rammelsberg on flowing meadow paths, always with a beautiful view over the roofs of the town. There are only small undulations as far as Oker, then the first long ascent awaits with the Huthberg. At the top, the route makes a small loop to take in the root trail on the Kästeklippe. By the time you reach the Göttingerode forester's lodge, you have lost all the metres in altitude. Soon one section of trail follows the next. The highlight of the day is served up before lunch: the flow trail from the Rudolfklippe down to Bad Harzburg. But before the fun begins, there are once again almost 300 metres of ascent! Nevertheless: maximum points for the fun factor. A glance at the display confirms the desire for a power socket. And with the last of your energy, you reach the inn on the castle hill, where you need to top up on calories and electricity. The view out over the Harz foothills is the best possible.
Whimsical hairpin bends herald the return route, which runs parallel to the outward route from Bad Harzburg, but still offers new variations: for example, a short loop over the Elfenstein, again with a trail descent, of course. The industrial plants of Oker soon come into view. The finale leads along winding paths through the former spoil tips between Oker and Goslar. The scars left there by mining have not yet fully healed. You can round off this fantastic tour in the old town centre of Goslar.
Download the GPS data:
Information about the MTB area guide Harz
By train: Goslar is well connected to the railway network. The Harz-Elbe-Express serves the northern edge of the Harz Mountains every hour. Connection to the long-distance/rapid transit railway network in Hanover, Braunschweig and Halle. Info: www.bahn.de
Best touring time:
The Brocken regularly makes headlines in the weather portals. The cold snaps in winter are particularly notorious. The snow in the summit region sometimes lingers well into spring. Even in summer, the Brocken acts as a weather dam and you can expect the odd rainy spell in the western Harz. In contrast to the harsh climate in the centre of the mountain range, however, the northern edge is generally milder. Bike season lasts from June to at least the end of October.
Accommodation tip:
Hotel Schiefer, Markt 6, Goslar, phone 05321 3822700, hotel-schiefer.de: time-honoured hotel in a modern style, right in the heart of Goslar. Hotel manager Alex is a passionate e-biker himself and has interesting packages on offer.
Food & drink:
- The cuisine at Hotel Schiefer is also highly recommended, from pizza to traditional regional dishes.
- Breakfast tip: Tims 5 Tageszeiten, tims-5tageszeiten.de
- Original: Wildfang, beer & pub, Rosentorstr. 2, wildfang-erleben.de
- Traditional: Die Butterhanne, butterhanne.de
Bike shop / hire:
E-Bike Kasten, Petersilienstr. 33, Goslar, ebike-kasten.de, boss Guido Kasten has a top selection of hire bikes on offer.
Tourist information Goslar, Markt 7, 38640 Goslar, phone 05321/78060, e-mail: marketing@goslar.de, goslar.de
Tours & map tip:
Volksbank Arena Harz, 74 signposted routes, totalling 2200 km/59,000 m elevation gain, volksbank-arena-harz.de. Official map set "Der Harz für Mountainbiker", tear and weatherproof paper, ISBN 978-3-935806-28-2, 16.80 euros
Downloads:
The BIKE Report Harz-North
Alexander Scharf has a soft spot for mud. When it comes to mountain biking, the restaurateur from Goslar - a giant of a figure - turns back into a child within seconds. Where others skilfully manoeuvre around water holes on the trail, he happily heads straight for the mini pools. And instead of slowing down, he presses the turbo button on his e-MTB and accelerates. In short, there is a constant drizzle in his neighbourhood. The drops are brown, and at the end of the tour it grinds between his teeth. "Somehow I need this after a day's work in the clean world of my restaurant," says Alex, just when there's not a puddle of dirt in sight. A few days ago, however, his love of mess was put to the test. Dark clouds were gathering over the Harz Mountains, bigger and blacker than usual. Could it be a belated witches' Sabbath on the Blocksberg? Torrential rain poured down over the low mountain range, turning streams into raging rivers. And so the Abzucht, which normally gurgles as a tame trickle through the alleyways of the half-timbered town of Goslar, turned into a brown torrent. "The brown broth reached just below the windowsill of my living room. That was definitely the end of the fun!" The damage to some historic buildings was considerable.
Back on the trail. "But don't go writing horror stories about the weather in the Harz Mountains," Alex calls from behind. I can see his grin as he fires up the turbo again. Our tyres dig through the deep ground with a rich smacking sound, a remnant of the storm. I have to admit, with an e-bike and full suspension, a trail hunt like this is much more fun than expected. The bikes are plush, the suspension literally floats over root passages. And thanks to the booster on the left thumb, you never have to worry about getting stuck in the mud. The additional watts really come into their own. Endless paths run through the forest between the spa town of Hahnenklee and Clausthal-Zellerfeld. Ditches connect a number of small ponds. The scars of mining, which was carried out intensively in the Harz Mountains until the beginning of the last century. In the mining museum at Rammelsberg in Goslar, you can take a deep look into this ore-rich past.
Small but excellent network for e-mountain bikers
Apart from his pronounced affinity for wetlands, Alex really lets it rip. Even though he only got into mountain biking two years ago, thanks to his e-bike. The spark was immediate. "That was what I had been looking for for a long time," says Alex about his start in biking life. "The e-bike gave me the opportunity to do sport alongside my stressful job. And one that's really fun." After just a few tours, Alex realised the endless possibilities of the area on his doorstep - and a vision matured that he is already realising every day as a restaurateur: to dust off the rustic oak image of the Harz Mountains. A small but excellent network for e-bikers should represent the sporty side of the Harz. With designated refreshment stops including charging points. "You could even set up battery exchange stations so that bikers don't have to wait so long on long tours," Alex continues to spin his ideas. It's just as well that the Brocken suddenly appears in front of us around the next bend. Because Alex has a rather ambivalent relationship with the highest mountain in the Harz mountains. Sure, as a former border mountain between Germany and the GDR, the symbolic effect of the bare peak is undisputed. However, Alex is not the only local who advises against a bike tour over the 1141 metre high Hexengipfel. He talks about mass tourism, from the artificial alpine hut charm of the self-service restaurants to the motorway-wide paths to the summit. There are only a few single trails up there, and when there are, bikers are slowed down by prohibition signs. As if to prove otherwise, we turn off onto the next flow trail. The forest envelops us again like a green, fluffy blanket. The sweet scent of fir wood is in the air. Like spotlights in a theatre, individual rays of sunlight shine through the canopy of leaves and illuminate our trail, which seems to lead straight to paradise.
"You'll find the best trails on the northern edge of the Harz Mountains," says Klaus Siedentopf. At the age of sixty, the wiry local is still a wild dog who spends every spare minute on his bike. Up to ten thousand kilometres a year are not uncommon for the senior master - a finisher at the Trans Germany after all. When he was practically prescribed e-biking by his doctor two years ago after a hasty recovery from myocarditis, he initially fell into an emotional slump. He can now laugh again. "It was the best thing that could have happened to me! Now I can work out in moderation and have even more fun on my bike." Even during his lunch break, he often takes a quick trail lap over the Steinberg, which is covered in narrow paths like a rollercoaster. But Klaus not only knows every trail in his home territory, he also has numerous stories about the Harz Mountains. Which is why Alex is happy to entrust his biking guests to him as a guide. The next day, he wants to show us a best-of of his favourite trails. Our batteries are full to the brim as we push up the first climbs on the outskirts of Goslar. It's unbelievable what steep ramps you can master in boost mode. But Klaus curbs our temperament: "Manage your energy! We still have plenty of hills and kilometres ahead of us."
The undulating route takes us along countless sections of path until we reach Bad Harzburg. Several times we cross the signposted bike routes of the tour network with the bizarre name Volksbank Arena Harz. Stretching over 2000 kilometres, it offers almost unlimited opportunities to explore the mountains by bike. Thanks to Klaus' scouting skills, our return journey is also peppered with fun trails and forest paths. Our guide even has a tip for the Brocken: "It's best to start at the Marienteichbaude, circle the Ecker dam to the north and climb to the summit on the so-called Hirtenstieg." The former armoured road is incredibly steep and a challenge even with e-assistance.
In the end, we're sitting on the market square in Goslar in a magnificent half-timbered setting, feeling pretty exhausted. The sun tickles our noses, coffee and cake taste excellent - pensioner mode or not. We have now spent four days exploring the northern Harz region. And we didn't even come close to exhausting the possibilities offered by the network of tours. A hell of a lot of fun, even without climbing the Brocken. Okay, there might have been a few more mud holes.
