WITCHES HAND FABLED LANDS FULL

With a bit of imagination the landscape does not contradict the vision of spooky witches circling around on their broomsticks! It is surreal to walk here, but this is indeed the Harz Mountains! It is like treading into an adventure world with supernatural creatures. It goes right across the network of visible roots among bare, upright trunks, sometimes broken and sometimes even completely turned over, displaying the enormous roots. The forest is now recovering, but the heat and drought during the last yearsвЂ™ summers havenвЂ™t really been in its favour.ДЇrom a hikerвЂ™s point of view the trail is very interesting, though. Later, the tree death has additionally been blamed the bark beetle and a couple of devastating storms. Back then the forest death across larger areas of Germany was believed to be due to acid rain and air pollution from the industries. It was a phenomenon or syndrome known from the eighties. The lower level hike around the romantic lake Oderteich with breathtaking views surprises us with astonishing sights of the dying forest. Intricate witch hands lie on the trail in the dead forest | Photo: Travel In Culture

WITCHES HAND FABLED LANDS FULL

In the afternoon, when we are hiking from Braunlage towards the top of Wurmberg, we are nearly turned over by a couple of proficient mountain bikers on a whirlwind descent down the narrow, twisting and uneven trail full of intertwining and dangerous tree roots!

The Harz Mountains are also packed with signage for hikers and mountain bikers. The signposts for skiing tracks are not the only signposts we come across. However, some winters, like this yearвЂ™s winter, fail to deliver the required amount of snow, so there is unfortunately no ski guarantee! Alpine skiing is definitely also an option at the downhill stretches of the Harz Mountains. The altitude and general winter climate combined with a certain probability of snow provide excellent opportunities for cross-country skiing across the valleys here in winter.

Setting out from Hohegeiss in the Harz Mountains along the winter skiing track Grosse Ebersbergloipe, we discover a landscape which is varied with both soft hills and more demanding stretches of rougher downhill terrain. Fascinating rocks pop up in the Harz Mountain forest | Photo: Travel In Culture

Witches hand fabled lands