|
Harz Mountains
Heinrich Heine wrote that even Mephistopheles stopped and
trembled when he approached the Harz, the devil's dearest
mountains. It's easy to see why Heine---as well as Goethe,
Bismarck, and a host of others---fell in love with these mist-shrouded
woodlands. The region has offered more than inspiration, though;
the Harz were Germany's primary source of minerals and ore
for metal manufacturing until the early 20th century. Germany's
45-year division allowed the Harz Mountains to flourish in
an artificial time warp. Since the region straddled the Iron
Curtain, both East and West declared much of it off-limits,
sparing it from development. The effects of that period's
shaky economy can still be felt, particularly in the Ostharz.
Now the recreation industry is rushing in from both East and
West, but as of yet the long arm of American tourism hasn't
reached the Harz.
Orientation
Now that the armed border guards have gone, visitors have
taken their places and multiplied like mosquitoes in the Harz
summer; hikers and spa-fiends alike rush to these rugged hills
in the heart of the restored nation. The range stretches from
the northwestern Oberharz to the wind-sheltered valleys of
the south and Wernigerode in the east. Throughout the Harz,
historic villages and the lush, natural beauty of the mountains
and valleys form a powerful tag-team of tourism. In summer,
the area is perfect for biking and hiking, while the first
snow signals the beginning of the skiing, skating, and tobogganing
season.
Transportation
The Harzquerbahn and Brockenbahn, antique, narrow-gauge railways,
steam from Nordhausen to Wernigerode, pass through the unfortunately
named towns of Sorge and Elend (Sorrow and Misery), reach
a 540m peak on Drei Annen Hohne, and chug along to Brocken,
the Harz's highest peak (1142m). Trains run every hour in
summer from 8:30am-8:30pm. Schedules are available at most
tourist offices, on the web at www.hsb-wr.de, and in the free
monthly pamphlet Brocken Tips.
The easiest way to travel between the Ostharz and Oberharz
is by the hourly bus between Bad Harzburg, the region's transportation
hub, and Wernigerode. A train from Wernigerode to Bad Harzburg
connects through Halberstadt and Vienenburg (1¾hr.,
1 per hr., €10). From Bad Harzburg, hourly buses continue
to Torfhaus and Braunlage. A more strenuous and interesting
way involves a little jaunt through the woods. Torfhaus, Braunlage,
Schierke, Elend, and Drei Annen Hohne all lie within a day's
hike of one another.
Practical Information
The regional tourist office in Goslar and the regional bus
station in Wernigerode offer a wealth of information for navigating
the region. Be sure to find times in advance; schedules vary
greatly between seasons and some buses only come a few times
per day. Pick up a copy of the Fahrplan der Verkehrs- und
Tarifgemeinschaft Ostharz (€2) for a comprehensive list
of bus and rail lines in the Ostharz. A similar Fahrplan is
available for the buses in the Goslar Landkreis, which runs
all over the Oberharz. Always be prepared for bad weather
here, especially sudden and violent rainstorms, as the rugged
geography makes for dramatic weather patterns. Travelers should
call the Braunlage Wetterstation at (05520) 13 20 for summertime
(Apr.-Oct.) weather conditions. (Open 5:30am-11pm.) During
the winter months (Nov.-Mar.), call Schneetelefon at (05321)
200 24.
If you travel through the Harz in the spring, you can join
in the immense regional celebration of Walpurgisnacht (April
30). The hedonistic festivities, immortalized by Goethe, center
around legendary witches who sweep through the sky on broomsticks
to land on the peak of Brocken. The legendary witches dance
with the devil until midnight, at which point the May King
cleans house. Brocken Tips lists events and activities in
Wernigerode, Goslar, and Quedlinburg. For more on cultural
happenings and hiking tips, pick up a free copy of Harz-Blick
at any Harz tourist office.
|
