Originally, I had only planned to walk along the Dammgraben near Altenau a little today. While that did actually happen, I also found yet another Place that I had never heard of before: The Eisenquelle.
But before that, I just walked along the Dammgraben and waited for a Motorcycle to show up on the Road. A few did, but I am not the biggest Fan of those Fotos. I probably should have been closer to the Action for that to really work.
After a while then, and after letting some Mountainbikers pass me, I then did not want to wait there any longer and started my Journey along the Dammgraben.
I always like it to walk along one of the many Gräben in the Harz that were once used to collect Water and distribute it between all the Teiche as a part of the Oberharzer Wasserregal. The Dammgraben, at over 15 kilometres, definitely the longest though.
It goes all the Way from the Brocken via Altenau and the Sperberhaier Dam, from which it has its Name, to the Hausherzberger Teiche in Clausthal. I have actually seen many smaller Bits of it already, but maybe I will walk the whole Length of it one Day.
Along the Way, I was checking Komoot, the Hiking App that I use, to find out a possible Journey to follow. I did not want my Trail to be to long, but I also did not want it to be to short.
While following the Dammgraben to a place where I could cross over to a neighbouring Path, I then discovered the Eisenquelle and decided that I had to go there. As a bonus, I could also cross over right there.
That also meant that my Hike was a little shorter than I had initially anticipated though. The next Crossover would have been around 3 kilometres further on though, one Way. I did not have the Time for that.
I have to say, I was a bit disappointed by the Eisenquelle itself. That is just a small Pipe with water coming out of, leaving a rusty red trail along the very short Stream that follows it.
The großer Gerlachsbach right next to it is way more impressive with its Water rushing down a concrete Shute and the Hiking Path opposite it being protected by a Splash Barrier.
There is probably way more Water coming down there when it is Raining a lot, or when the Snow melts. That Bach flows right into the Dammgraben, but there is an Overflow just a bit down the Path should there be to much Water.
Since I really did not feel like taking the same Path that I came on back towards my Starting Point, I then crossed over the Dammgraben just about a hundred Metres beyond the Eisenquelle.
That Path was a little above the Dammgraben, but I am happy that I did go that Way. The Dammgraben was actually getting a bit crowded at that Time.
Also, I was able to get along that other Path a lot faster. That was because the surrounding Area was a lot more boring than the absolute beautiful Views that I had at the Graben.
After a little while, I then arrived back at the Car to drive back Home. It had been a really beautiful Day at the Graben, and I got to see much more than I had ever thought possible.
Sometimes, it is definitely worth it to just continue on a little further, maybe you to will get to see something truly aw-inspiring.
I am a little bummed that my Motorcycle Fotos did not really turn out in the End though. I spent way to much Time on that today.
Robin Ho Fotos 