Wolfswarte

The Wolfswarte near Altenau is made of quartzite rock and is a secondary summit of the Bruchberg in the Upper Harz. At 927 metres above sea level, the Bruchberg itself is the second highest mountain in Lower Saxony. At a height of around 918 metres, the forest-free peak of weathered Acker-Bruchberg quartzite rises well above the surrounding mountain area, offering good views to the north and west. To the south-east and south, however, the view soon encounters the rising and densely overgrown Bruchberg, which blocks further views in these directions. The Wolfswarte, located approx. 700 metres north-east of the summit of the Bruchberg, is considered the top highlight on the way up. The nearby town of Altenau and parts of the Oker reservoir can be seen particularly well from here, with a view as far as the northern Harz foreland possible in good weather. The Wolfswarte is one of the few publicly accessible places on the Bruchberg and is probably the best-known and most popular Wolfswarte in the Harz Mountains, especially among hikers.

In the footsteps of former hunters

Hunters once waited at the Wolfswarte for wolves lured by bait, which were considered dangerous predators at the time and were therefore decimated to such an extent that eventually none of the wild animals lived in the entire mountain range. Today's wolf watch on the Bruchberg is of purely natural origin. It is still unknown whether there were artificial shelters for the hunters ambushing the wolves at that time.

Cycle routes and hikes to the wolf hide

The Bruchberg and the Wolfswarte in particular are a popular destination for hikers, cyclists and mountain bikers. Numerous routes and hiking trails of varying degrees of difficulty lead up the mountain, whereby sturdy footwear, solid hiking clothing and a certain amount of skill are required, especially when hiking. The hiking trail from the starting point in Altenau is particularly recommended.

From Altenau, you can hike along the Wolfswarter Weg to the Wolfswarte, which is connected in several places to the Steile-Wand-Straße, which leads from Altenau to Torfhaus. The easiest way to reach the Wolfswarte is to take the last connecting path. You reach this at an altitude of around 760 m, just before the first car park on the steep wall. This hiking trail eventually turns into the Butterstieg, which will take you to the Wolfswarte. Alternatively, you can climb the Wolfswarte from Torfhaus via a direct route. This has a length of around 4 kilometres. Once at the top, the exposed group of rocks makes an ideal resting place, where you will certainly not be alone in good weather, as the picturesque view attracts tourists and holidaymakers day after day. Due to the central location of the Bruchberg in the middle of the national park, visitors to the cliffs are generally not allowed to leave the designated routes. Leaving the paths can be quite dangerous, as there is an extensive moorland area around the Wolfswarte, which is impassable and deserted. The next hiking destination after reaching the Wolfswarte is the Okerstein natural monument, another striking cliff 2 kilometres away.