Bicycle touring in the Oderwald: not for the faint-hearted

Christina/ August 12, 2020/ The daily grind

On the wrong track
It is hot in Germany. Jogging is not fun anymore at most in the early morning hours. That’s why I hop on my MTB and explore the cycle paths around Wolfenbüttel, the Oderwald and Salzgitter. Destinations are Salzgitter-Salder with its castle museum on the one hand. On the other hand I bike to Heiningen with its former cloister and the Oderwald around the corner. And that forest is quite something: Whoever feels like going astray is definitely on the right track here. The Oderwald is not even completely registered with Google Maps and locals tell you that the crossing of the forest is difficult if not impossible. I really felt like being on the wrong track.

No time means I don’t want to?
Upon my last visit to Wolfenbüttel I discovered cycle path signs to SZ-Salder. In order to get more information I stop by the tourist office. Unfortunately I have no bike lock with me that’s why I address to a group standing in front of the building. The guide to the city however looks at me snidely saying: „We are about to leave.“ I decide to take my bike into the office – with no problems.
A nice lady provides me with cycle maps on the area. Being back on the street I see the group still standing on the same place. „Oh, you are still here“, I say. The guide looks at me, buzzled. „Well, your bike is still there.“ „Yes, I say, thanks to your nice assistance.“

Stopfkuchen – a sea and murder story?
I start my tour to Salzgitter Salder (SZ-Salder) at the train station. Right behind the station I am facing a steep ascent direction to Oderwald. Suddenly I recognize a street sign stating „Stopfkuchen“ (buckler cake). What is this? I whatsapp with some friends and one of them tells me it might be a story by Wilhelm Raabe, a story of the sea and murder. „Stopfkuchen“ is the nickname of the protagonist and also stands for a casserole made of leftovers. I wonder whether this Stopfkuchen-guy once lived in Wolfenbüttel, right in that street?

„Nothing on the head!“
I reach the Oderwald at the end of the street. I see some other signs, however the way to SZ-Salder is not among them. I address to a couple and a jogger. The three come from this place, however they have no clue about Salzgitter. I decide to go to Leinde first and then see. After some time I leave the forest again and reach Leinde. Hm, no signs to Salder. I take a look at my new map but Salder is not on there! I stop a cyclist asking for the way. Fortunately the guy can help me out, sending me to Immendorf. Again no signs to Salder in Immendorf. I talk to locals again. It is not easy to find somebody, the streets are empty because of the heat.
A nice old lady gives me directions wondering why I am not using a satnav and why I am not wearing a hat on my head with that heat. Well, I head on via Watenstedt and Hallendorf. Just 3 km away from Salder I spot a cylce sign again. Great!

Turkish wedding in Salder
Reaching the town of Salder and the castle itself I come across a gathering. Oh, it is a Turkish wedding. I walk through the park and take my pictures of the castle, the courtyard and the train as a symbol of the ore minging at Salzgitter. In front of the museum I take notice of a van with a constant speed motor. That’s so typical I think to myself. Finally the driver realizes that the photo session of the wedding will last for some time and cuts off the engine. Next to the castle I discover an ancient mill and a former community library. Having taken all my pictures I start back for home it is simply just too hot today. Moreover I have an appointment later on.
The unspectacular way back leads from SZ-Salder to Hallendorf, Salzgitter-Thiede and Geitelde back to the west of Braunschweig.

Help me, I am a cyclist!
Day two: The next morning I decide on another tour. Heiningen is on my itinerary for today. I am not planning on a long tour – it is too hot again. I start once again at the train station of Wolfenbüttel. The trails goes via Halchter, Ohrum and Dorstadt to Heiningen. On my way back I want to cross the Oderwald, now that I have a map of it.

The way to Heiningen is well sign-posted. I stop at the manor at the end of Halchter. I make another stop at Dorstadt, having a look at the former manor. At Heiningen I take a look around the former cloister ground which has become a hotel and also has a cheese dairy and a joinery.

Welcome to the adventureland!
After the sightseeing the adventure part starts! I go back to Dorstadt and follow the sign-posting to the Oderwald from there. I only go uphill and it is VERY hot! Moreover it is a gravel path which I really hate. I am really having a hard time looking for some shadow in the forest. I did not know how much one can sweat.

At the edge of the forest I meet another cylclist half way. I ask how to cross the Oderwald in order to reach Wolfenbüttel. He gives me a strange look: „It is not possible. I have tried it myself. There are no signs, there are no trails. I had to push my bike and finally gave up.“ Oh, shit. Still, I give it a try. The path goes uphill again. I am sweating like crazy, trying to catch my breath. But he is right, there is not trail leading to Wolfenbüttel.

Sudden stamp luck
Instead I have to go to „Klein Flöthe“ on the other side of the forest. From there the signs take me to Groß Flöthe and finally to Cramme. Passing by the school garden I am happy to see a box with a stamp of the region „Nördliches Harzvorland“. My heart beats faster. Georgious! I feel much better again not knowing how what kind of ordeal awaits me.

At the end of Cramme I follow the (sign-posted) cycle path to Wolfenbüttel/Halchter. I reach the Oderwald again. I am still left with the hope to reach Wolfenbüttel via the Oderwald. Big mistake! I go straight all the time on a gravel path, but suddenly I feel like going in circles, reaching nowhere. I panic. I do not want to get lost here. This place is completely orphaned. There is nobody to ask, nobody knows I am in that fuck… forest and I do not have a clue where I am. I decide to go back. I simply hate this place and the fact that there are no signs. I am jolly glad to leave the forest. On the edge of the Oderwald I meet a couple on a bench. Asking for directions they say: „Do you want to continue on this path at the edge of the forest or do you want to cross the forest? If you want to go through the forest it will be complicated.“ I tell them that I come from the Oderwald and I am not going back again. They grin at me, knowing what I am talking about.

All’s well that ends well
From the forest edge I cycle via a country road towards a row of houses, that seems to be the safest choice for me. I‘d have never guessed that I would be happy to reach Leinde once more. Now I know my way back and that feels so good. I return to Braunschweig via Adersheim, Fümmelse and SZ-Thiede. In between the cycle trip felt like hell – it was hot enough though. And one thing is for sure: I will not try again to cross the Orderwald.

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