Bodetal

The Bode Valley, cut deep into the granite, hornfels and slate, is a jewel of the Harz landscape.

Towards the edge of the Harz, the river Bode carves its way deeper and deeper into the granite slopes of the Ramberg massif - steep and spectacular. The rock faces rise a good 400 metres between Thale and Treseburg, and the valley floor looks enchanted and pristine. Just as famous as the Bodeschlucht gorge are the legendary cliffs that flank its exit: Rosstrappe and Hexentanzplatz - two fabulous viewing platforms.

At a glance:

Where is the Bode Valley?

The gateway to the Bode Valley lies on the northern edge of the Harz Mountains, where the Bode leaves the mountains.

Where is the Bode Valley at its most beautiful?

The most beautiful and spectacular part of this wild and romantic rocky valley is located between Treseburg and Thale. The valley has been a nature reserve since 1937. The southern part has remained unspoilt.

How deep is the Bode Valley?

At Treseburg, the gorge is around 150 metres deep. At the transition to the Harz foreland near Thale, it reaches a depth of 280 metres.

How was the Bode Valley formed?

Numerous meanders have formed slopes in all directions. The Bode Valley is a steep, eroded valley - the steep slopes immediately before Thale are particularly impressive.

On a discovery tour - excursions in Germany's "little Grand Canyon"

Downstream, the Bode Valley increasingly takes on the character of a gorge. At the beginning of the 19th century, the 17-kilometre course of the river from today's Rappbode Dam to Thale was still impassable. Hiking trails were created from 1818.

The valleys of the Kleine and Große Bode are particularly beautiful and unspoilt, with their white-foaming cascades pouring over the mighty granite boulders scattered along the riverbed. The river has not dug itself quite as deep here as in the USA, but the Bode has formed one of the most beautiful valleys in this low mountain range.

In two places, the masses of water plunge over higher rocky ledges and form the Upper Bode Falls - 800 metres downstream, the Lower Bode Falls. From the Große Bodestraße road, short branch-off paths in the forest lead to the two waterfalls. The cascades are most impressive in spring after the snow has melted. In autumn, they turn into inconspicuous rivulets.

The impressive rocky valley stretches from the dams near Wendefurth to Thale. This is probably the most enchanting nine kilometres of the Bode Valley.

A classic hiking route(Thale loop) leads through it.

Tips for lingering: From the Wilhelmsblick viewpoint near Treseburg, there is a magnificent view of the romantic Bode Valley to the east and the Brocken to the west. A special attraction at the exit of the Bode Valley from the Harz Mountains is the Thale cable car adventure world. There is not only a climbing forest and a show hydroelectric power station here, but also real thrills. The glass-bottomed gondolas of the cable car to the Hexentanzplatz ensure this. A look into the depths of the Bode Valley is both exciting and breathtakingly beautiful.

A hiking highlight is the Benneckenrode circuit - a challenging hike that requires sure-footedness. The starting point is the Rosstrappe near Thale. You will soon reach one of the most mystical and legendary places in the Bode Valley: the Sonnenklippe. Here, the River Bode shoots past the cliff far below. If you like, you can dip your feet into the Bode about 100 metres further on at a small pebble beach.

High above the Bode is the 403 metre-high Rosstrappe, which you can reach by chairlift, on foot or by bus via the President's Trail. According to legend, Princess Brunhilde was on the run from the impetuous knight Bodo. The stone proof of the legend of the long jump is the imprint in the shape of a horse's hoof on the Rosstrappe rock. The 18 bends of the "Schurre" into the Talgund cannot be overlooked. The king's daughter Brunhilde jumped over it in the saddle of her horse and Bodo and his steed plunged into the abyss.

Hiking along the rushing stream in the Bode Valley once enchanted Goethe too:

The Goethe Trail leads downstream to the left of the Bode to the Goethe Rock (old name Siebenbrüderfelsen, with memorial plaque) and to a mighty granite slab in the riverbed. It is often said that Goethe and Fritz von Stein had a snack here after descending from the Rosstrappe. What is certain is that Melchior Kraus drew the rocks of the Bode Valley and Goethe enriched his mineral collection in this "classic geological mile".

Tips for a cosy stop-off

After all these impressions, it's worth taking a break at the Schlösschen Hotel Bodeblick.

A real old Harz inn is the "Königsruhe" at the Jungfernbrücke bridge. So is the "Waldkater" just before Thale.

And if you still haven't seen enough, visit the legendary little town of Thale. It cherishes its title as a town of myths. Who's surprised? Witches, devils and gods are everywhere. The multitude of myths and legends is thematised on the "Thale Myth Trail".