Circular hiking trail at Bollrich

5.15 km long

Round trip

Difficulty: easy

Condition:

Walking / hiking

A view over the mining settling ponds towards Sudmerberg — © Rainer Schlicht Dirk Lübker , GOSLAR marketing gmbh

1:30 h
5.15 km
95 m
97 m
223 m
320 m
97 m
Start: Schüzenallee Kaiserweg parking lot in Goslar
Destination: Schüzenallee Kaiserweg parking lot in Goslar

The Bollrich is a landscape unit between the town of Goslar and its district Oker. It is shaped by mining activities and the smelting of ores from the Rammelsberg. In summer, the blooming heathland areas are striking; they are beautiful to look at and at the same time rare biotopes.

“Due to the economic miracle and the sharply risen lead and zinc prices in 1950, investigations were started in the same year in the band ore deposits. After successful trials to process these low-grade ores (usable metal content approx. 25%), the band ore processing plant at Bollrich above Oker was put into operation in 1953. The planning of the plant was the responsibility of the mine architect Fritz Schupp – as with the surface facilities at Rammelsberg that have been preserved to this day.

The connection of the plant to the Rammelsberg ore mine was made via the mine railway through the Gelenbeeker tunnel, while the removal of concentrates to the lead smelter in Oker and the zinc smelter in Harlingerode was carried out via a standard-gauge railway line.” (from: Wikipedia, Rammelsberg)

In summer, the common heather blooms and can be admired along the International Long-Distance Path Netherlands-Harz. The heath stands have been maintained and preserved in the past by sheep grazing. Now, reforestation with pines and birches is steadily advancing because sheep grazing was discontinued about 20 years ago. From a nature conservation and recreational perspective, it would be desirable to remove the grown-up trees and shrubs. Ideally, sheep grazing would be resumed. If no heath maintenance and development takes place, it will soon disappear.

GOSLAR marketing gmbh

Pavements

Unknown (100%)

Best to visit

suitable

Depends on weather

Directions

From the parking lot, we follow the European hiking trail E11 on the paved path about 100m downhill. We pass the building of the former low-grade ore processing plant and turn left into the forest, only to turn right onto a path after about 20m. It initially leads through a young deciduous forest. At the forest worker monument, a bridge crosses the mountain stream Gelmke. A few meters further we encounter it again. It is now channelled because the valley in which its original bed was located has been converted into a reservoir pond. These are settling basins for the mountain waters from the Rammelsberg ore mine. Its heavy metal load caused by mining must settle in the ponds before the water can be further carried away.

The Gelmke is routed past the ponds. Between it and the spruce forest, the path leads us partially briefly but steeply uphill. When we reach the top, the forest lies behind us. On the slope side, we have a view over a meadow to the Harz mountains – the Hahnenberg and the Gelmkeberg – and on the valley side, a wide view opens over the ponds to the Sudmerberg. Here the heathland areas begin, which become wider along the path. Many of the nearby and distant trees are overgrown with the protected mistletoes.

At the end of the last pond, a path leads over the dam. It would be a pleasant and worthwhile shortcut; on the water side, a succession strip of young birches and small spruces can be seen that bring new life to the heavy metal-bearing soil. But unfortunately, the path is officially not allowed to be entered.

So we leave the E11 and follow the “allee” downhill on the slope of the dam, to then climb back up the path to the other end of the dam right away. On the right lies the glider airfield shared by two clubs.

The overgrown railway tracks lead from the aforementioned low-grade ore processing plant into the district of Oker, where the ore was smelted. During the last section of the path, we pass a shooting range for archers and a dog training ground.

Directions & Parking facilities

A7 Hamburg / Hannover towards Kassel or Kassel / Göttingen towards Hannover
Exit Rhüden (Harz) / Goslar and via the B82 to Goslar
A395 from Braunschweig direction
Exit Goslar via the B6 to Goslar

Osterfeld parking lot
Schüzenallee parking lot

Train: Direct connections to/from Hannover, Halle (Saale), Braunschweig, Göttingen, Kreiensen
Bus: Direct connections to/from Salzgitter Bad, Bad Harzburg, Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Vienenburg, Wolfshagen, Liebenburg, Altenau, Langelsheim

Additional information

Harzklub Goslar e.V.
www.harzklub-goslar.de

Place of interest