From the Innerste Cycle Path to the Middle of Nowhere – An Unexpected Adventure
These days I’m out on my mountain bike more and more often—with a little electric assistance. Strictly speaking, that goes against my usual philosophy, because I’ve always wanted to conquer every climb under my own power. So what changed? Well, after riding an e-MTB for the first time and absolutely flying up and down the hills, things were never quite the same. You’ve probably guessed it already—I was hooked. There’s just something incredibly fun about attacking a climb at speed. Suddenly, tackling many more meters of elevation and exploring entirely new routes in the Harz Mountains became possible. It’s simply awesome.
We’ve already tested a few routes in the Harz, and this Saturday we’ve set our sights on the Innerste Cycle Path. The route follows the former railway line of the old Innerste Valley Railway, which—like so much else in the Harz—was originally built to transport ore from the region’s mines. Unfortunately, the trail, which officially runs from Langelsheim to Altenau, has only been developed as far as Wildemann. The section between Wildemann and Clausthal-Zellerfeld is missing, so we decide to turn the ride into a loop, returning via Bad Grund and the Iberger Albert Tower.
Plenty of Traffic Between Langelsheim and Wildemann
We park our car in a residential neighborhood in Langelsheim and begin our ride on this beautiful Saturday afternoon. The start is easy to find. Before long we leave the asphalt behind and head into the forest toward the Grane Reservoir. The cycle path here is paved, well maintained, and fairly narrow. We’re surprised by how busy it is today. Not only are cyclists of every kind out and about—road bikers, mountain bikers, trekking cyclists—but plenty of hiking groups are using the trail as well.
Beware of Free-Range Idiots
The kilometers fly by, and before long we arrive at the “Klein Tirol” mountain farm in Wildemann. Outside the farm café there’s a sign warning of “Free-Range Idiots,” which we find hilarious. We meet the farm’s two cheerful goats and even have a little photo session on a wooden horse. After all, a bit of fun is part of any good outing. Unfortunately, this is where we have to leave the official cycle path. We ride through the village of Wildemann on the road before quickly turning back into the forest and heading toward the Iberger Albert Tower. The climb is pretty steep, but with electric assistance beneath me, it’s hardly a problem.
Münchehof Limestone Quarry
Before reaching the lovely beer garden at the Albert Tower, we make a short detour to a viewpoint overlooking the Münchehof limestone quarry. Two information boards explain the history of the Winterberg open-pit mine. The company Fels, which operates the quarry, also contributed to the restoration of the Iberger Albert Tower—and that investment was certainly worthwhile. From the 55-meter-high tower, the views are spectacular, and afterward we reward ourselves with a relaxing break in the beautiful beer garden.
Ups and Downs on the Way Back
After our break, we consult our phones and route planner for a scenic way back. Across roots and rocks—and occasionally along the Forester’s Trail—we make our way to the “Green Square.” From there we take a fairly long loop through the forest until we eventually return to Wildemann. We then follow the Innerste Cycle Path once more toward the Grane Dam. Our final stop is the Berghof am See Hotel in Langelsheim. We hadn’t even realized there was a hotel perched high above the Grane Reservoir. We settle onto the terrace, order a cold drink, and enjoy the perfect ending to a wonderful ride.
Lost in the Liebenburg Forest
The following day we’re back on parts of the UNESCO World Heritage Cycle Route (which overlaps with the Innerste Cycle Path). We set off early because rain is forecast for the afternoon. Our starting point is the village of Dörnten. We park by the sports field, unload the bikes, and get going. Leaving Dörnten behind, we ride toward Heißum. The route is rough, taking us over rocks and roots, and after a while we’re feeling a little rattled. Eventually we reach the Mäusebrunnen (“Mouse Fountain”), a lovely spot in the middle of the forest. But that’s not the only interesting place we discover today. Passing an old hunters’ station and following a few farm tracks, we arrive at the former Fortuna Mine near Döhren. Besides an information board about the mine’s history, there’s also a traditional orchard maintained by NABU, although it appears to have been somewhat neglected.
Climbing the Hausmann Tower at Liebenburg
We continue along the cycle path to Liebenburg, riding through the edge of the forest toward our next destination: the former Liebenburg Castle and its Hausmann Tower. The climb is steep, but again the electric motor makes it manageable. We climb to the top of the tower and enjoy magnificent views across Liebenburg. By now the sky is steadily clouding over, so we decide to continue quickly toward Othfresen, our next stop. As it turns out, getting there is much easier said than done. Leaving Liebenburg, we think we’re heading in the right direction. We turn right past the outdoor swimming pool onto a road that continues into the forest. That decision almost becomes our undoing.
Lost in the Liebenburg Forest
We follow the signs to Othfresen but must have taken a wrong turn somewhere. For quite some time we ride back and forth through the forest, climbing and descending, feeling as though we’re simply going around in circles. Eventually, somewhat frustrated, we decide to turn off near the golf course and get our bearings. At this point we still believe we’re somewhere near Liebenburg or Othfresen. Not even close.
As we stand rather bewildered near the golf course, a friendly couple out golfing approaches us. They assure us we can simply ride across the course and continue into the forest. Carefully we pedal uphill, hoping not to be hit by an errant golf ball. Once back in the woods, we turn right and, to our complete astonishment, end up at the former Salzgitter-Bad concentration camp subcamp. How on earth did we end up here?
Racing the Rain Back to Dörnten
As soon as we reach Salzgitter-Bad, it starts to drizzle. This could get tricky, especially since we haven’t brought any rain gear. So we reorient ourselves and pedal with renewed determination. After a while, passing through the district of Gitter and the Schäferstuhl, we finally reach Othfresen. The weather is still holding up reasonably well, although it keeps drizzling on and off. From Othfresen we continue back to Dörnten along farm tracks. Just before reaching our destination, the rain becomes noticeably heavier, so we pick up the pace one last time.
We make it back to the car just as a proper downpour begins. That was a close one. 😉
