Around Osterode - Part 1 (North)

Short description

Around Osterode - Part 1 (North)

Description

Gypsum, dolomite, 35 springs, and a historically significant landscape

Directions

For this circular tour, the best time to visit is during the golden autumn foliage in the karst beech forests and during the spring blooms. After leaving the town of Osterode am Harz in a southern direction, the karst hiking trail leads through the Osterode city forest with the King George Pavilion and old sunken lanes to the Osteröder limestone mountains. Soon you will reach Pipinsburg, one of the most impressive prehistoric monuments in the Harz region and one of the most significant fortifications in the southern Lower Saxony mountain region. Today, they are only recognizable as grass-covered ramparts. They are located on the mountain spur that extends far into the Söse valley, with a sharp cliff to the north and east formed by the undercutting of the Söse river. Gypsum mining has significantly altered the original landscape in this area.

A service road leads down to the village of Förste. Here you will first come across the Grafenquelle, where mineral spring water is bottled. Just after the large spring pond, you turn left into the village of Förste with numerous other, partly saline springs and back out into the fields. Here you will be greeted by the 262 m high Lichtenstein. You enter a karst beech forest. Under the tall leafy crowns, many valuable ground plants grow, transforming the forest floor into a blooming carpet in spring.

Past the closed entrance to the Lichtenstein Cave (natural/cultural monument), you climb up into the forest to the left after about 300 m. Very deep sinkholes accompany you on both sides during the ascent. The karst hiking trail continues to the summit of the Lower Buntsandstein.

There, you can rest on the slope in the beech forest below Lichtenstein Castle or search for the occasionally remaining wall remnants and castle ramparts. Past the sinkholes of Bauernberg, a quarry lies to the left. The gypsum layer here is over 60 m thick. Occasionally, small caves were cut into it, but they disappeared during mining activities.

After cautiously crossing B 241, you follow the sinkhole row 7 Chambers to Ührde. Here, you have the opportunity to take a break at the Landgasthof Sindram inn. Past the Härkenstein quarry through a charming forest landscape with many impressive sinkholes, you later ascend to the Feldherrenhügel with a magnificent view of the stratified landscape of the South Harz. Heading back down in a northerly direction, the route leads over the former Osterode military training ground to the starting point at ALOHA.

Parking information

Parking lot of the ALOHA swimming pool in Osterode