Harzer Wandernadel: Stempel 070, 071, 072 und 178

Finally, it's time to go stamp hunting again! I headed to Thale, and four stamps were on the agenda. I started at the large parking lot at the foot of the chairlifts; the €3 daily fee is perfectly reasonable. With a quick detour to the tourist information office in the train station building, I was able to pick up my Kaiserrucksack (available for 100 stamps or more) for €10. The upcoming climb up to the Hexentanzplatz was rocky and steep, requiring good fitness. You could often see the lifts and the passing baskets. There was a special stamp at the Walpurgishalle. Next, I headed to the Prinzensicht (stamp 070), for which I had to retrace my steps to reach La Viershöhe (stamp 072). I enjoyed a beautiful view at both stamp stations. The descent led me to the Gasthaus Königsruhe (stamp 178) in the Hirschgrund. I treated myself to a break and a beer. 😎🍺 After that, I took a leisurely stroll along the Bode River, but what followed was borderline challenging at times: the ascent to the Rosstrappe (stamp 071). The serpentine paths were so covered by rockfall that I often had to find my way over loose rocks. There was always the potential danger of slipping or even causing rocks to roll and endanger others. With a lot of sensitivity, courage, and perseverance, I reached the Rosstrappe. In my opinion, this path should have been closed or at least marked accordingly. After this ordeal, I decided to abort the tour there and take the chairlift down to the valley. I certainly didn't want to descend that route. Overall, it was a lovely trip with great panoramas. However, there were a lot of people out and about on that Sunday, and it was sometimes difficult to enjoy nature in peace. The weather was great, and so I'm now four stamps richer. 👍 Tour on komoot: https://www.komoot.de/tour/1322360316 More hiking tips and information at: https://fit-wandern.de