Great circular route sandstone caves Blankenburg (Harz)

Short description

Hike through a unique landscape in the Harz Mountains – the Heers forest area

Description

Nestled in fragrant pine forests, reminiscent more of Brandenburg forests or the Baltic coast than the Harz, you will find an exceptional hiking area here. The sandstone caves, photographed thousands of times and about the size of a football field, exert a great attraction on families, mystics, stamp collectors, film crews, romantics, and hikers. This place was rightfully chosen as the most beautiful stamping point of the Harzer Wandernadel in 2009.

Directions

Follow sign number 6 on the brown blossom petal. The starting point is the Regenstein car park at Am Platenberg.

The tour starts at the Regenstein car park. A visit to the castle and fortress complex before or after the hike is recommended. Following the signs towards Regensteinmühle, you will reach it after a few minutes. Follow the tracks of the mules trodden into the sandstone cliffs down to the medieval mill complex, which impresses with its reconstructed massive mill wheels. The path leads further downhill to the edge of the forest, where you walk for about 1 km. Then, with a short detour to the Pastorenstein, walk about 2.5 km through the shady pine forest to Börnecker Bahnhof. Here you have a beautiful view of the vast Harz foothills and even a train connection to the Blankenburg (Harz) – Halberstadt line. On the wide forest path towards Blankenburg, you will reach Jogis Waldkneipe, which is open on weekends from May to October. Follow the road to the right for a short distance and walk along the Bundeswehr area back into the forest. The last turn towards the sandstone caves will take you directly to one of the most beautiful hiking destinations in the Harz, a place with great potential for a favorite spot. Lucky is the one who still has some picnic in the backpack, as it is worth lingering here a bit longer. The steep ascent from the main path over the Grüner Hof, the former medieval farmyard of Regenstein, leads back to the car park.

Parking information

Free parking, enter Am Platenberg in your navigation device

Safety instructions

There are many paths crossing the forest area. We recommend hiking on the marked main paths because due to the similar appearance of the forest, it is easy to get lost here.