WatersideWalk Oderteich pond
Short facts
- start: Oderteich car park on the B 242 Clausthal - Braunlage
- destination: Oderteich car park on the B 242 Clausthal - Braunlage
- easy
- 0,66 km
- 10 minutes
- 17 m
- 726 m
- 710 m
- 80 / 100
- 20 / 100
best season
Short circuit of the Oderteich dam. For a long time the Oderteich was the largest and most modern reservoir in Germany.
The Oderteich is the largest of all the water storage ponds in the Upper Harz and the highpoint of historic water engineering. The dam is 21 m high and is constructed using gigantic granite blocks. The Oderteich was the largest reservoir in Germany for 171 years.
The reservoir was constructed in 1722. It is completely different from all the other water storage ponds in the Harz. The information boards along the way will tell you what is so special about it. For example why the dam was built from huge granite blocks. Or what was done during the icy winters in the High Harz.
When the water level is low, you can see where the granite blocks used to build the dam were taken from.
The Oderteich pond was important for the mines in the Harz. The giant water wheels in the mines needed a lot of water all year round.
Still today, the water from the Oderteich flows through the Rehberger Graben ditch to Samson Mine in Sankt Andreasberg. Until 1910 the water from the Oderteich was used to drive the water wheels at Samson Mine. Today the water is used for a water power station. There, electricity is generated.
General information
Directions
The short Info-path is only 800 m long and starts at the Oderteich car park on the B 242 road. First you take the path across the dam. Then you cross to the other side of the road and follow the water flowing out of the pond to the foot of the dam. From there you can walk back up to the car park.
If you want to, you can also hike right around the Oderteich. The circuit is 5 km long.
Equipment
Please remember to wear sturdy shoes.
Tip
A short walk takes you past the Oderteich to Oderbrück. Between the rentable ski huts, the coffee flap offers a little refreshment.
Parking
Parking at the Oderteich.
Literature
Martin Schmidt: WasserWanderWege – Ein Führer durch das Oberharzer Wasserregal – UNESCO-Weltkulturerbe, 4. Auflage, Papierflieger Verlag GmbH, Clausthal-Zellerfeld 2012, ISBN 978-3-86948-200-2 UNESCO-Welterbe - Bergwerk Rammelsberg, Altstadt Goslar und Oberharzer Wasserwirtschaft Faltbroschüre im DIN lang Format, die die zugehörigen touristischen Einrichtungen entlang der Oberharzer Wasserwirtschaft mit einem Kurztext und Fotos darstellt. Auf der Rückseite befinden sich drei Übersichtskarten, die die Welterbe-Wege, die touristischen Ziele und die Lage des Welterbes insgesamt zeigen. Preis: 2,00 € Erhältlich bei allen Touristinformationen der Region oder online unter shop.harzinfo.de.
Additional Information
Oberharzer Bergwerksmuseum
Bornhardtstr. 16
38678 Clausthal-Zellerfeld
Tel. 05323 98950
info@oberharzerbergwerksmuseum.de
www.oberharzerbergwerksmuseum.de
Stiftung UNESCO-Welterbe im Harz
Bergtal 19
38640 Goslar
Tel: 05321 750 114
Pavings
- Unknown (67%)
- Path (31%)
- Asphalt Coating (2%)