Bärenbrucher Teich

The Bärenbrucher Teich is a historic reservoir of the Upper Harz Water Regal located in the district of Goslar near Buntenbock above the Ziegenberger Teich. The history of the reservoir, which was once created for mining purposes, dates back to the 17th century. Located at an altitude of around 558 metres above sea level, the pond has a maximum depth of 7 metres, a maximum diameter of around 500 metres and its water surface measures around five hectares. Despite the relatively large maximum size, the pond is comparatively short measured from the dam and measures only 60 metres from there to the shore. The dam of the Bärenbruch pond itself, on the other hand, measures 230 metres in length and 8 metres in height. The pond has a total capacity of up to 186,000 cubic metres and is usually operated as a so-called overflow pond. This means that the bottom outlets are always closed and inflowing water flows into the Ziegenberg pond via an overflow.

History and purpose

The reservoir was built in 1644 and later remodelled. During the mining era, its water was channelled via the Oberer Rosenhöfer Kunstgraben to the mines in the Rosenhöfer district near Clausthal. After their closure, however, the dammed water was used to generate electricity until the first half of the 20th century, when the water was channelled to the power station in the Ottiliae shaft.

The Bärenbruch Pond has been part of the Upper Harz Water Regal since 1978 and is therefore a protected monument. The flora and fauna in the area surrounding the pond is also specially protected by the "Upper Harz Pond Area" FFH area. Since 2010, the pond has also been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the historic Upper Harz water management system.

The Bärenbruch pond today

Surrounded by woods and meadows, the Bärenbruch pond is now a perfect place to relax. Especially on hot summer days, the pond with its clear water is ideal for swimming and fishing and is therefore a popular destination for hikes and cycle tours. The special protection of the animals and plants on and around the pond is practically equivalent to a bathing ban, but bathing in the lake is still tolerated to a certain extent. It should also be noted that the pond is not designated as official bathing water and any swimming or bathing in the lake is at your own risk.

Anglers in particular are always drawn to the Bärenbrucher pond, as it has a very wide variety of fish - from carp, pike, perch and eels to rainbow trout, numerous species are represented here. However, fishing in the waters used for angling by the Oberharz Sport Fishing Association and the Harz Waters Interest Group is only permitted with the appropriate authorisation and from the shore. Boat fishing is strictly prohibited here.

Hiking trails to and around the pond

The pond can only be reached on foot and is therefore a particularly popular destination for hikers, especially those on the hunt for the next stamp. Located at the southern end of the dam wall in a refuge is stamp point number 137 of the Harz Hiking Needle. The pond is easy to hike to via the "Buntenbocker Teiche" water hiking trail or from the car park at Entensumpf on the B242 as a starting point. Once you arrive at the pond, you can walk around it, although the circular hiking trail in the eastern section is quite far away from the pond and the water is partly out of sight there. Apart from this, however, the path around the pond offers many interesting views of the Bärenbrucher pond.