World Heritage Insight Walk: Hydropower Then and Now (hike)
Short facts
- start: Parking at the former Catholic Church
- destination: Oderteich car park
- medium
- 9,45 km
- 2 hours 40 minutes
- 161 m
- 726 m
- 602 m
- 100 / 100
- 40 / 100
best season
Hike from the Grube Samson Mining Museum along the Rehberger Graben to the Oderteich pond.
Tip: Activate the audio guide mode in the app. At many points you will learn exciting details about the Upper Harz water management system around Sankt Andreasberg.
This hike from the Grube Samson Mining Museum in Sankt Andreasberg to the Oderteich pond is around 10 km long. It passes through the Upper Harz Water Management System, which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage in the Harz.
The water transport ditches and ponds were necessary to provide energy in the mines. The ore extracted underground had to be hoisted to the surface. Rainwater that seeped into the mine had to be pumped out of the galleries. The energy was provided by giant water wheels. They needed a lot of water all year round. The water was collected in the storage ponds and flowed to the water wheels through the ditches.
On this hike you will find out how people around Sankt Andreasberg used the water for mining. And how the water is still used to produce electricity.
On the way you will find various signboards with information about the Upper Harz Water Management System.
General information
Directions
The hike starts from the car park at the former Catholic Church. From there you should turn left into the park. Go straight ahead for 200 m and you will reach the Hilfe-Gottes-Teich pond. Walk around the pond to the right. Now the route turns uphill to the right. From the park you continue to "Clausthaler Straße". There you should walk up the hill to the left. Enjoy the fantastic view of the mountain meadows. Then turn left along "Am Gesehr". This will take you directly to the Rehberger Graben ditch. Go along the Rehberger Graben in the direction the water is coming from. At the end of the hike you will arrive at the Oderteich pond. This is the largest pond in the Upper Harz Water Management System. You can easily get back to Sankt Andreasberg using the bus.
Tip
Take a break at the Rehberger Grabenhaus restaurant. There you can get something to eat and drink. Or visit Grube Samson Mining Museum.
Public transit
The HarzBus lines 820 and 840 arrive at the St. Andreasberg Schulstrasse stop near the route start point. In less than 10 minutes you can walk via Promenadenweg, Obere Grundstraße and Katharina-Neufang-Straße to the starting point.
Pavings
- Asphalt Coating (20%)
- Path (4%)
- Crushed Rock (71%)
- Street (1%)
- Hiking Trail (4%)