The Huy: A perfect day at the northern Harz foreland
We are on the move in the Huy, a ridge within the northern Harz foreland. Beginning at the rambler’s car park “Röderhof/Abzweig Huysburg” at the L83 we walk about 18 kilometres. A round trip that includes both, the Schloss Röderhof as well as the cloister Huysburg. In the woodlands we explore first of all the Daneilshöhle and later on the Sargstedter Warte. Unexpectedly I collect another two stamps of the Harzer Wandernadel Burgen & Schlösser that day. At the end of this perfect day we allow oneselves for a stop at the Wasserschloss Westerburg and let the day sink away with apple pie and chocolate cake.
Rat fun at the castle Röderhof
We start our round trip at the rambler’s parking lot “Röderhof/Abzweig Huysburg” which is located at the L83. We catch a sunny and warm autumn day. Right at the beginning we immerge into the forest and reach our first destination the castle Röderhof via a country road. We are impressed by the size of the site. The former stables look like “Lost Places” to us. I move curiously between the partly broken walls and have some rat fun by the way. In a corner sandbags are arranged, in front of them some plastic rats are placed. I don’t know whether there had been once a plague here. In any case this makes a nice photo. Just one booth further down there are three stone rings placed after each other and attached to ropes. Is that for shooting through? Maybe this is for bow and arrow? There is a place for archery around the corner.
Visiting robber Daneil
We walk a little bit through the village and turn left at the next crossing. After a while we come across a sandstone formation which has two entrancees. An information board tells us that this is the so called “Daneilshöhle” where the namesake robber used to live. According to a legend he gained control over a young girl. This hijacking however was his doom. The citizens of the village came to the girl’s rescue and doused Daneil with hot mush and thus shut up his trap literally. The moral of the story: do not hijack girl’s against their will!
On the Sargstedter Warte
We move deeper into the Huy and make a U-Turn at the Siebertsplatz direction of cloister Huysburg. On the way to the Sargstedter Warte we cross the Buchen- and Paulsberg. The ideal location for a short break. The tower looks pretty new to us. We climb the spiral staircase and are being welcomed by a wonderful view onto Halberstadt and over the northern Harz foreland.
Via another four heights we move towards our next destination, the cloister Huysburg. I undergo a big suprise on the parking lot when I spot a stamp of the Harzer Wandernadel Burgen & Schlösser. Wonderful. But we are also in for a little disappointment: the cloister café is closed today. Hm, we take a good look around and I discover the flat of St. Nicholas. Oh this is where he lives? That’s good, because it is close to my place!
Through the forest we are back on the parking lot. So, where can we get some coffee now? Well, the Wasserschloss Westerburg comes into our mind. What a lucky strike! On the terrace of the hotel we have some coffee, cake and whisky liquor. The cholcolate brownie is a dream, so delicious! Now I know what it means when they say “The way to the heart is through the stomach.”
