Through the Peace Valley to Alexisbad

Short Description

Friedrichsbrunn - Erichsburg - Alexisbad

Description

This tour takes you from the climatic health resort Friedrichsbrunn past the holiday park Merkelbach to the ruins of Erichsburg. It served to protect the old imperial and royal road that led up from the Selketal through todays Friedenstal. The hiking destination Alexisbad was expanded into a bathing and recreational area in 1820 at the instigation of the Ballenstedt Duke Alexius.

Route Description

Friedrichsbrunn, the highest district of Thale and a foundation of the Prussian King Frederick II, is the starting point for this hike to Alexisbad.

From the central signpost in the town center, walk to the right past the church and the cemetery in a southerly direction towards the Gondelteich. Walk along the right bank of the pond and continue onto the Alte Gernröder Straße, which you follow to the left. Along the roadside of this old border road between the former lands of Anhalt and Braunschweig, you can still see the old boundary stones. After about a kilometer, you will find a rest bench of the Harzklub and a stamp box for the Friedrichsbrunn circular hiking trail at a well-preserved boundary stone.

Continuing straight on the border road, turn right at the holiday park Merkelbach with its moose enclosure, and at the second fork in the road, follow the path to the left towards Alexisbad into the Friedenstal. Passing old beech trees, you will reach the Erichsburg Pond, which, together with the Bergrat Müller Pond further north, was used for the water supply of the former mining facilities. After about 100 meters, you will find the remains of a former mining operation (Dennarttanne), which was most productive in the 18th century. The mine was last operated in 1938.

A few hundred meters further along the path to the south, on the right, you will find the ruins of Erichsburg with its clearly recognizable moat and rampart systems. Follow the gently winding Friedensbach through the wetlands until you reach a junction to the Marienquelle 500 meters before Alexisbad, a visit to which is worth a detour. Back on the main path, you will reach the destination of this hike - Alexisbad - after a few minutes.

Further Information

Bodetal-Information THALE
Bahnhofstraße1
06502 Thale
Tel. 03947 776800
info@bodetal.de
www.bodetal.de

Directions

A36 exit Thale, continue on the L240 via Warnstedt to Thale, then continue on the L240 to Friedrichsbrunn

Parking Information

Large parking lots at the town entrances