Discover Stiege: Lake, Castle and Narrow-Gauge Railway

A lake in the middle of town, a castle on the rocks and a reversing loop on the Harz Narrow Gauge Railway define Stiege. Other hiking and cultural attractions can be found in the wider destination of Oberharz am Brocken.

Lake, Castle and Scenery in Stiege

Lake Stieger See lies in the middle of town and is surrounded by green meadows and forests. Stiege Castle is also located in the heart of Stiege, on a rock right beside the lake. The water, meadows and forests are a focal point of the landscape, while the castle’s rocky setting adds a striking architectural feature. If you like to consider natural scenery and a distinctive building together when choosing a place to visit, Stiege offers a tangible connection to both.

Railway History at the Station

The reversing loop of the Harz Narrow Gauge Railway at Stiege station is 400 metres long and has a track gauge of 1,000 millimetres. Its length and track gauge describe two different measurements of the facility. In 1984, Deutsche Reichsbahn built the reversing loop for freight transport. In the wider destination of Oberharz am Brocken, it is part of the Selketal Railway and is described as Europe’s smallest reversing loop. For railway enthusiasts, specific technical measurements and the loop’s former use come together here.

Hikes in and around Stiege

The Selketal-Stieg begins at Stiege station and runs to Quedlinburg in the northern Harz foothills. It is also an option for hikers tackling individual stages and offers a different way to plan a trip than a single circular hike. This means you can see Stiege not only in terms of its lake, castle and railway, but also as the starting point for this particular route.

More Hiking Ideas in Oberharz am Brocken

In the wider destination of Oberharz am Brocken, you can compare two moderately difficult hikes by distance and time. The 2.8-kilometre hike to the Krockstein viewpoint passes through mixed forest and takes 55 minutes. The circular trail around the Hasselvorsperre near Hasselfelde is 5.5 kilometres long and takes 1 hour and 28 minutes. This gives you a choice between a shorter hike to a viewpoint and a longer circular route. Check current trail conditions on the route to Krockstein before setting out.

In Hasselfelde, an extensive network of hiking trails includes the Harzer-Hexen-Stieg, nature trails and the Köhlerweg. The trails provide access on foot to local sights and destinations. This network adds further ways to explore the area on foot to the two specific hikes.

Culture and Crafts in Oberharz am Brocken

At Harzköhlerei Stemberghaus, traditional earth kilns are built, fired and harvested from early April to the end of October, offering a live look at the old craft of charcoal burning. The charcoal-burning museum gives an impression of the difficult working and living conditions of charcoal burners. While the seasonal demonstrations show the craft in practice, the museum also focuses on the charcoal burners’ daily lives.

In Hasselfelde, the Blumenau Museum in the Haus des Gastes presents the life and work of chemist and emigrant Hermann Blumenau through images and text. The local history room in the Haus des Gastes tells the story of the town and the lives and work of its residents. The two subjects offer different perspectives: one biographical and the other focused on local history.

The religious buildings also make their own architectural statements: St. Antonius Church in Hasselfelde is a three-aisled Gothic basilica. Stiege Stave Church is the only religious building in Germany in the Norwegian dragon style. In Neuwerk, the traditional Grasedanz festival is devoted entirely to the hay harvest.

Discover more destinations: Königshütte, Hasselfelde, Elend, Benneckenstein, Rübeland, Neuwerk, Elbingerode, Trautenstein.

Go to the overview of the wider destination: Oberharz am Brocken.