Weser-Harz-Heide-Radweg - Weser-Harz-Heide-Radweg

Signpost at the train station in Hann. Münden

The cycle route with the awkward name "Weser-Harz-Heide-Radfernweg" begins in Hann. Münden at the origin of the Weser; from here it leads over Goettingen, the Eichsfeld, the resin and the foreland to after Luneburg in the known Lueneburg Heath.

Route profile

Length: 409 km

Signposting: Sketchy. Rectangular signpost with inset logo - it can be confused with the intermediate signposts on other routes.

Slopes: A first ascent can be found right at the beginning of the route from the Weser valley up to Dransfeld, then it first goes downhill on the Dransfeld ramp to Goettingen largely even further, apart from the small hill of the Nesselrödener Warte in front Duderstadt. After Duderstadt it gets hilly, and in the Harz the route has a very demanding elevation profile. In large parts, however, the route runs between Goslar and Hann. Münden over a total of four former railway lines, so that at least in these sections it is largely flat. In the north of Goslar the route is almost exclusively flat to only slightly hilly.

Path condition: often asphalt roads, but there are also gravel sections on country and forest roads

Traffic load: far more than half of the route is car-free

Suitable bike: Best touring bikes with tread tires and gearshift suitable for mountain use.

Family suitability: Given in sections, e.g. on the sections that run on former railway lines.

Inline suitability: Only given to a limited extent in a few sections, detailed information is not available

background

The cycle path is listed as route N5 in the Lower Saxony network.

getting there

Public transportation

Important points of entry into the route by train are Hann. Münden, Goettingen, Goslar, Braunschweig, Uelzen and Luneburg.

By bicycle

In Hann. The three well-known routes end in Münden Fulda cycle path, Werratal cycle path and Weser cycle path. The first two come from the south, the latter from the north. The meets in Göttingen Leine-Heide cycle path on the Weser-Harz-Heide-Radweg. On the West Harz there are several intersections with the Harz circular route, later with the Iron Curtain Trail.

In the street

Route description with sights

The associated OSM relation be used.

Hann. Münden – Göttingen (33 km)

Cycle path in the Schedetal

Hann. Münden. At the confluence of the Werra and Fulda to the Weser, the Werra cycle path and the Fulda cycle path also meet. The Weser-Harz-Heide-Radweg leads together with the one in Hann. Münden, the Weser cycle path begins along the eastern bank of the Weser to Gimte.

Gimte. The Weser-Harz-Heide-Radweg says goodbye to the Weser and Weser Cycle Paths and now leads upwards, from the end of the village on the accompanying cycle path on the side road. The cycle path always runs close to the Dransfeld ramp, a disused section of the Hanover Southern Railway Direction Hoher Hagen.

Volkmarshausen. From now on, the cycle path leads first on the accompanying cycle path on the B3, then change to the side of the road (Caution, poor insight into the street!) and on your own route through the Schedetal upwards. To the north of Volkmarshausen, it is worth taking a detour to the former railway line, which is a bit off the bike path. The old 400 m long Volkmarshausen tunnel, which is completely accessible, has been preserved here. You can even use the GPS to search for the cache inside the tunnel.

Ascent to the Hohen Hagen

Scheden / Oberscheden. The bike path leads somewhat detoured through the place. If you just want to pass it, you will automatically find the direct route after a brief study of the map. The route of the railway is still preserved here, some sections of the track are still there. The cycle path initially leads alongside the route, later on the railway line to Gut Wellersen. On the last stretch to Dransfeld we use the cycle path parallel to the B3.

Dransfeld. The Hohe Hagen was part of the Weser-Harz-Heide-Radweg until the railway cycle path between Scheden and Dransfeld was expanded. The summit can be reached via a detour from Dransfeld. To do this, we have to turn into Hohe-Hagen-Straße shortly before the roundabout at the end of the town and follow the course of the road. Even after Dransfeld hardly anything can be seen of the old railway line. The actual cycle path leads parallel to the B3 east of Dransfeld, shortly afterwards turns right from the main road and then runs at some distance, but largely parallel to the south of the B3. We pass Varmissen and Klein Wiershausen and drive a short distance on the bike path past the main road past the "Rischenkrug" bus stop. After that it is now finally on the preserved railway line, first as a dead straight through the so-called Groner Holz. From now on you roll down almost continuously towards the Leinetal. After the forest, you can already see Göttingen lying down in the valley. However, the railway line still makes a large 180 ° curve around the small town of Groß Ellershausen. This curve was necessary when the railway line was laid out so that the trains in the direction of Dransfeld could cope with the height differences

After leaving the Groner Holz, it goes down into the Leinetal

On the old railway line near Groß Ellershausen

Gross Ellershausen. The place is bypassed in a wide arc, the B3 is driven under once, then later passed in the place at a traffic light. In Groß Ellershausen you will find a bakery and various gastronomic offers. You then continue on the old embankment towards Göttingen, also crossing Autobahn 7.

Goettingen. On the embankment of the old railway line (mostly fine gravel) you get into Göttingen and first have to cross a bypass road in a confusing place. Then it goes slightly downhill on the asphalt path, first there is a housing estate in the Grone district on the left (Caution: children playing and dogs running freely often cross the path immediately), then later the old city cemetery. On the right is the old embankment of the Dransfeld ramp, behind it the ICE tracks of the high-speed line Hanover-Würzburg. The narrow foot / bike path ends at Jheringstraße, here turn right onto the bike path to the next traffic light, then cross the street to the left. You meet the at the immediately following small Leine bridge Leine-Heide cycle path. To follow this, turn right before the bridge to the south in the direction of Rosdorf / Niedernjesa. Cycle path on a leash, partly asphalt (many root breaks), then also fine gravel. To get to the city center, we cross the bridge and follow the course of the road.

Göttingen – Duderstadt (37 km)

First of all: Those who are familiar with the area are puzzling over the meaning of the detoured route from Göttingen via Niedernjesa and Reinhausen to Diemarden. It's much shorter - even if you then have to look for something. To do this, you drive a short distance from Göttingen on the cycle path accompanying the left on the B 27, then follow the signs to Werderhof (Erdbeerhof) and then drive on the small, narrow railway line of the former Gartetalbahn to Diemarden. Saves altitude, kilometers, but also the nice detour over the Wendebach reservoir (which will also be drained and rebuilt at the end of 2014). The route description of the official route follows.

Rosdorf. Coming out of the city from Göttingen to the south, you drive on the same route as the Leineradweg through the local recreation area at the Kiessee, where, curiously, there are also pedestrian signposts (i.e. cycling forbidden) and long-distance cycle path signs exist on the same route) and then turn right at the Leine weir through the fields (gravel / asphalt) to Rosdorf. There turn left onto the street At the Flüthedamm, left-hand cycle path. At the traffic light on the right side, cycle path on the railway line, then left to the next traffic light. After crossing the street, turn right on an asphalt farm road through the fields. Possibly closed barriers, which are difficult to pass with three-lane teams / child trailers or trikes.

Niedernjesa. At the end of the farm road, the Weser-Harz-Heide-Radweg and Leine-Heide-Radweg separate, the former turns left, over the Leinebrücke to Niedernjesa. Narrow town through without a bike path. Uphill to the federal road 27, cross it at the traffic lights and turn right on the left-hand cycle path on the federal road. In the following depression, turn left onto the farm road to the Wendebach reservoir.

Wendebach reservoir. On a quiet farm road it goes up the hill to the level of the still existing dam (on the right), then it goes back down to the lake. The Wendebach reservoir is a local recreation area for Göttingen, when the weather was good, there was a lot of activity here until the lake was closed, followed by DLRG bathing supervision and a small kiosk. Sunbathing lawns and a swim in the lake were ideal for a break. At the north-western end, the cycle path leads around the lake and then through the narrow, quiet Wendebach valley on a two-lane concrete slab path further east to Reinhausen.

Reinhausen. Reinhausen is only touched briefly at the roundabout on the western outskirts, here you go around the roundabout and ride uphill on the right-hand side of the cycle path towards Diemarden. A small ascent has to be mastered, then you have a beautiful view to the west towards the Leinetal and to Diemarden, which is located in the Gartetal. Continue downhill on the bike path. The cycle path ends at the entrance to Diemarden.

Reconstructed goods shed at Gartetalbahnhof Klein Lengden, today a rest area

Diemarden. Diemarden will be driven through on the main street (Reinhäuser Straße / Lange Straße) without a cycle path. At the end of the village in the direction of Klein Lengden, there is another cycle path on the right. Less than 1 km after leaving the village, the former Klein Lengden train station is in front of a bend. The former freight shed at the station was reconstructed and now serves as a shelter with a resting place for cyclists. Inside there is a small exhibition on the history of the station. Now bend down the road that leads to the transverse, busy L574, the Göttingen-Duderstadt branch line.

Klein Lengden. If you want to go to Klein Lengden (supermarket), drive straight ahead across the intersection. The cycle path turns right onto the cycle path that accompanies it on the right and does not touch Klein Lengden. Continue to the next small intersection, turn right here towards the forest. (The narrow footpath / bike path that continues on the country road ends shortly afterwards at the garden mill; driving on the following winding country road without a bike path is not recommended.) The bike path now leads on alternating paths (fine gravel and forest paths with short climbs) past the country road at the Wittmarshof chapel and on concrete slabs to Benniehausen.

In the garden valley east of Benniehausen

Benniehausen. Completely drive through the street leading into the village, turn right at the end and then immediately left again on the uphill slope. You leave the place again on a small farm road. In the following depression at the bridge it can be very muddy after rain, caution is advised, and you have to turn left immediately afterwards. On a bumpy, paved, narrow path, it now goes over a small wooden bridge over the garden in the direction of the country road, which you follow for a few 100 m on the bike path accompanying it on the right. At the first farmstead in Wöllmarshausen, the path leads a little away from the country road on the old railway bridge over the garden.

Woellmarshausen. The most sensible way to get through this place is on Gottfried-Bürger-Straße (no cycle path), but there is also a small, bumpy cycle path above this street. At the beginning of the following bend, the bike path is signposted turning off the road to the right, follow these signs. Drive calmly above the gardens, there is also a rest area. At the end of the street turn right onto the country road to Rittmarshausen. If you do not ride with small, self-cycling children and want to avoid the traffic, you should avoid the cycle path above the road - it is in a terrible condition. At the entrance to Rittmarshausen you can / must switch to the cycle path on the left side of the road - the curve makes this (once again) an unsafe matter.

Rittmarshausen. Turn left at the first intersection. Pharmacy, ATM, shops in town. Now follow the road through the village and further into the fields. Increasing ascent to the wooded ridge, which you finally cycle through at the height for about 500 m. At the other end of the forest is the Nesselrödener Warte with a small campsite on the hilltop. Down there is a steep descent (oncoming traffic must be expected!). At the country road, turn left onto the accompanying cycle path on the left, on which you drive to Nesselröden.

Nettles. Stay on the priority road (Untere Straße, then turning to the right Nathestraße), even if deviating cycle route instructions try to send you through the residential areas. In the place restaurants and shops (bakery). At the end of the village on the right-hand side accompanying cycle path, follow this continuously on the L 569 to Westerode.

Westerode is an incorporated district of Duderstadt. In a zigzag one is led through residential areas, which is advantageous compared to the heavily trafficked through town. After leaving the town on the accompanying cycle path on the country road to the roundabout, leave it on the opposite side (towards the center / hospital).

The path leads past the town hall and St. Cyriakus in Duderstadt

Duderstadt. On Göttinger Strasse past the hospital into the city. Cross the traffic light T-junction and the traffic light junction straight ahead, you can already see the Westerturm at the second junction. Under the Westertor through to the old town, however, a first stop at the Westertor is already worthwhile to visit West gate ensembles to the history of the city. At the St. Servatius Church, turn left into Marktstrasse. There are numerous gastronomic offers here, including a hotel in the middle of the city. There is also a wide range of purchases. The Marktstrasse is driven through once, past the town hall and St. Cyriakus, each of which offers further opportunities for sightseeing. The place is then left again via Obertorstraße, Adenauerring and Rote-Warte-Straße.

Duderstadt – Osterode (39 km)

Asphalted bike path near Brochthausen behind Duderstadt

Red waiting room. The Rote Warte is a settlement with refreshment stops, which is located directly on the state road 531 and its cycle path. Here you can also take a detour to Heinz Sielmann Nature Experience Center be made. The cycle route continues along the state road. If that is too "easy" for you, you can also drive right up to the former inner-German border shortly after the settlement and (in Thuringia) on the former GDR column path to Zwinge.

Fuhrbach. Brochthausen. These places are passed through, behind the town exits continue on the bike path along the state road.

ferrule. Shortly before the Thuringian Zwinge, you turn left (to stay in Lower Saxony) into the seemingly endless fields. You can also drive a short 250 meters further on the state road to Zwinge. On the way to Rhumspringe you always drive within sight of the former Herzberg – Bleicherode railway line, on the last section even right next to it.

Hilkerode itself will not happen. It can be reached by driving 200 meters on the state road 530 in the direction of Duderstadt. From the junction to Hilkerode, the long-distance cycle path now runs along the former railway line. Hilkerode quickly recognizes the breakpoint, still in its original state. The district of Osterode is reached and left again quickly. Shortly before Rhumspringe you can see a track branching off to the right in the bushes. It connected the Schickert works and the paper mill with the railway line. You are back in the district of Göttingen.

In the Rotenberg area, the WHH runs largely on the former Herzberg – Bleicherode railway line. In the area of Rhumspringe, however, there is a gap, so that the Rhumeviaduct has to be visited via a detour.

Jump around. There are three options:
- After one has reached the place, one leaves the railway line and one drives on the Duderstädter Strasse and the main street (former local passage, formerly L 530) through the place, over the Rhume ("Mühlenbrücke") and steeply up the Mühlenberg, until one comes again reached the embankment. This is the signposted method.
- If you go straight ahead in front of the mill bridge through the town center and past the sports field, you will reach the Rhume spring (see below).
- Alternatively, from the entrance to the town you can go parallel to the railway line, past the train station (where there are still tracks) and then a bit on the L 530. You can see the mighty railway viaduct over the Rhume. If you then drive to Dammstraße, you can reach the railway embankment again and cycle directly towards Herzberg.

Rhuma jump is the northern tip of Rhumspringes, but is already in the district of Osterode and thus belongs to Herzberg. Also in the municipality of Herzberg is also the Rhume spring, which can be reached from the railway cycle path or from the Rhumspringer sports field, signposted; it is one of the three largest springs in Europe and, in addition to several viewing platforms, also has a kiosk.

Poehlde. Coming on the railway cycle path, after having crossed the “natural leaf tunnels” of the Rotenberg, it goes straight through Pöhlde, so that you can see nothing more than the former train station. The following part of the route is sunnier than the previous part.

L 530 in Herzberg with a cycle path alongside the road

Herzberg am Harz is driven through quite directly: Shortly before the former railway line joins the track field of the Herzberg station, you leave the gentle railway line and you are immediately confronted with a short incline. After crossing the track field, follow the L 530 cycle path (Duderstädter Straße; Bahnhofsstraße). The main station is passed, you cross (again) the expanded B 27 and drive down the old B 27 (Göttinger Straße). You cross the expanded B 243 and follow the old B 243 parallel to it (Poststrasse), and then drive along the expanded main road on the parallel cycle path. If you want, you should make a detour to the nearby one Herzberg Castle and Juessee do. Before the start of the autobahn-like Westharz Schnellstraße, cross the four-lane street again at the last traffic light and then follow the old B 243 (Osteroder Straße; Geißkleestraße; K 27) and leave the city on the same.

Ash hut is at the intersection of the K 27 (former B 243) with the K 7 and is driven through in the most direct way. Attention: Crossing traffic has priority nowadays!
Papenhöhe is a field name. In this area you turn off the old main road, cross under the expressway and partly follow the former road. You come to the former restaurant Papenhöheand drives along the “Westharz route” (Herzberg – Seesen railway line) through a moor landscape (“Teufelsbad”). The first foretaste of the Harz comes up with a slope to the Osterode-Leege industrial park. At the beginning of the village you reach the old B 243 again. If you have it "fast", you shouldn't even leave the old B 243 at Papenhöhe.

Osterode am Harz. Osterode-Leege will be driven through to the city center on the old B 243. Now you can either go directly to Scheerenberger Straße via Waldstraße and Bleichestelle or (signposted) after a detour through the city center to the Freiheiter Kreisel. Here you have the last possibility to bypass the Harz on the old B 243 or to drive on the old B 241 or the old Harzstraße directly to Clausthal and on to Goslar. From the roundabout, Scheerenberger Strasse leads with the WHH in the direction of the Sösetalsperre.

Osterode-Clausthal-Zellerfeld (32 km)

This is the steepest section of the entire Weser-Harz-Heide-Radweg and most demanding for inexperienced cyclists.

Scheerenberger Straße, which is signposted as B 498, leads to the Eulenburg (Bowling center and campsite) over. A little further on the bike path of the B 498 ends, so that from here it goes steeply uphill to the dam Sösetalsperre goes. It will be bypassed south.

Riefensbeek is reached and driven through via the B 498.

Slag comes almost right behind it. Instead of driving directly on the B 498 to the Dammhaus, you continue through the Sösetal. At the junction of the Morgenbrodtstaler trench, the slope arms are used. For the first time since Göttingen you have to drive longer on unpaved roads.

Dam house is bypassed.

Altenau is affected after you have passed the hut pond (part of the Upper Harz water shelf). You can go down into the village, but you have to go up again. Passing the station, the route of the former "Innerstetalbahn" will be used to Zellerfeld; However, if you think of the beautiful railway cycle paths as before, you will be disappointed for the time being.

Clausthal-Zellerfeld

Clausthal-Zellerfeld-Goslar (33 km)

Wild man. From here it goes, again on the Innerstetalbahn, this time nicely expanded, only down the Innerstetal.

Lautenthal. Here the railway line is briefly interrupted, but after the village it continues again.

Wolfshagen in the Harz Mountains

Goslar

Goslar – Wolfenbüttel (44 km)

After the mountainous terrain of the Harz Mountains, it is now almost flat.

Jerstedt

Dörnten

Liebenburg

Bike path north of Börßum

Börßum. You pass Börßum on the western outskirts. After changing over the bridge, the cycle path now continues on the western bank of the Oker, and a short time later also the Canal Ilsepicks up a small river coming from Hornburg. (If you want to continue in this direction: In Börßum there is a short cross-connection to the one that runs very close by here Iron Curtain Trail. A GPS track for the short connection can be found in the Bike tour wiki.) The Weser-Harz-Heide-Radweg now leads a good two kilometers on dirt roads on the Oker through the fields until it bends west at the height of Dorstadt and leads into the village. On the right-hand side of the bike path, it goes on the country road through Ohrum and Halchter to Wolfenbüttel.

Castle in Wolfenbüttel

Wolfenbüttel. On a main road you get to Wolfenbüttel, at the first large intersection you turn right, briefly on the same route as the Berlin-Hameln long-distance cycle route. But after 100 m you cross the Oker and shortly afterwards you have to turn right to pass under the main road (was a bit difficult to find in 2010). Then the cycle path leads quietly through green areas along the Oker, bends once to the left and continues through green areas then on the street Harz gate wall In the city. Right in Bahnhofstrasse, left in Schulwall, which you follow to the castle. At the castle, turn right into Schlossplatz, straight ahead into Lessingstrasse. On the left is the Herzog-August-Bibliothek, which is well worth seeing. At the end of Lessingstrasse, pass a parking lot on the right, cross a small bridge and turn left onto the cycle path through the green spaces, first along the Oker again.