Romkerhaller Wasserfall

The Romkerhall waterfall is located on the B498 just before the village of Oker (district of Goslar, Lower Saxony) in the residential area of Romkerhall and not far from the Oker power station. Directly opposite is the entrance to a former hunting lodge, which has earned the title of "smallest kingdom in the world" and today also offers excursion catering as an extraordinary hotel.

Origin of the Romkerhall waterfall

After the excursion restaurant with overnight accommodation was added to the hunting lodge around 1860, the owners at the time artificially created the waterfall as an additional attraction in 1863. The inspiration probably came from the nearby Radau waterfall, which was created in 1859 and quickly became a magnet for visitors. The two waterfalls were connected by a promenade path. For the Romkerhall waterfall, the builders diverted water from the small Romke, a tributary of the Oker, via a 350-metre-long canal, which they then allowed to plunge 64 metres into the depths via a concreted outlet. This height of fall makes the Romkerhall waterfall the highest in the entire Harz Mountains. The water cascades steeply down into the valley into a large basin, from where it flows back into the Oker.

Fascinating sight

The view from the top is fascinating. The start of the waterfall can be reached on foot in 15 minutes from the free car park on the B498. Alternatively, visitors can first go to the catch basin and from there climb up to the viewing platform on the Romkeklippe cliff above the waterfall. Many visitors to the Harz will point out that there are plenty of natural waterfalls in this water-rich mountain range, but they don't match the fascination of the Romkerhall waterfall. It offers a spectacular sight all year round. From spring through summer and into autumn, the surrounding nature shines in lush green and bright colours that are reflected in the water. In the very cold winter, the waterfall freezes into a column of ice, which is an incredible sight. However, this requires several weeks of heavy frost, only then is the ice of the waterfall so frozen that it even offers ice climbers an ascent of around 50 metres, although this requires very special equipment. Climbing is so difficult that it often fails, which in turn attracts numerous onlookers. The artificial waterfall actually freezes over its entire height. The water that was still falling shortly beforehand has then conjured up bizarre ice formations like something out of a fairy tale.

Hikes around the Romkerhall waterfall

There is a well-maintained hiking trail along the tributary channel that leads to the junction of the channel with the Kleine Romke. The path turns right there and leads back to Romkerhall. The short circular route is only around one kilometre long, but contains steep inclines.

When is it best to visit?

As a tiny mountain stream, the Kleine Romke carries very little water during dry periods, which affects the volume of the cascading water. It is at its highest after the snow melts in spring, which is why a visit is highly recommended. In colder temperatures over longer periods, visitors should not miss the winter spectacle of the frozen Romkerhall waterfall either.