Riefensbeek-Kamschlacken: Hiking in the Söse Valley

Location and orientation

Riefensbeek-Kamschlacken lies in the Söse Valley near the Söse Reservoir. It is the smallest state-recognized health resort in the Harz Mountains. The destination’s profile includes hiking trails and seasonal activities. This distinction helps you plan your stay around your preferred focus.

Hiking trails, from circular routes to longer distances

In summer, extensive, signposted hiking trails invite you to explore. A lovely day hike is the BaudenSteig circular route No. 3: it leads from Riefensbeek uphill to the Hanskühnenburg National Park forest restaurant and back to Riefensbeek via the Söse Valley Reservoir. As a circular route, it connects a named destination with a return to the starting point, setting it apart from a route that reaches the village as part of a longer journey.

The 60 km Harzer Försterstieg leads from the historic imperial city of Goslar to the mountain village of Riefensbeek-Kamschlacken. Information boards line the entire trail, and there are also small activity areas along the way. The Försterstieg also leads to Riefensbeek-Kamschlacken via an award-winning forest nature trail. This means that a day hike around a loop is complemented by a longer route connecting Goslar to the village. The longer sections of the Harzer Försterstieg are well suited to cycling. Its access points can be reached by public transport or car. If you are travelling by public transport, check the best connection for your travel date.

Summer and winter activities

Activities also vary by season: in summer, the signposted hiking trails are the main attraction, while in winter, groomed cross-country ski trails are available in Riefensbeek-Kamschlacken. This means that hiking and skiing are tied to different travel seasons. If you are planning your stay around skiing, factor the current trail conditions into your plans. The season is therefore a useful starting point when deciding which activity you want to shape your trip.

History and architecture

The area’s history offers another point of interest. In the Riefensbeek and Kamschlacken area, entrepreneurs from Goslar operated smelting works from around 1200 to 1350, where ores from the Rammelsberg were processed. This historical episode links the names of the two villages with the processing of Rammelsberg ore and the activities of Goslar’s entrepreneurs.

A much more recent architectural landmark is the Christ Chapel in Riefensbeek-Kamschlacken. This small, tent-shaped rectangular building was constructed in 1965/66 and faces west. The smelting works and the chapel thus represent different periods in the village’s history: medieval ore processing on the one hand, and a building from the 1960s on the other. Together with the trails and seasonal activities, these themes offer several concrete starting points for planning a stay in the Harz Mountains.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: Kamschlacken, Herzberg am Harz, Bad Lauterberg, Pöhlde, Lonau, Wulften am Harz, Osterode am Harz, Bad Grund.

Back to the main travel overview: Osterode am Harz.