On this stage, we enter the "Grand Canyon" of the Harz - the Bode Valley between Treseburg and Thale. Here, granite walls up to 250 meters high rise on both sides of the path. In Thale, a detour to Rosstrappe or Hexentanzplatz is worthwhile.
Famous, popular, and delicious are the trout from the Bode. Freshly caught, they are served in Altenbrak and Treseburg. The gently babbling Bode is their home.
In Treseburg, we enter the Bode Valley nature reserve, one of Germany’s oldest nature reserves. Before 1865, passage through this section ahead was not possible. The rock pressed too tightly against the water, leaving no space for a path, and the technical possibilities to create one were not yet sufficient.
At first, however, the path leads comfortably into the gorge, which is still wide enough here. The water babbles quietly below, with no civilization noise disturbing the idyll. Soon, the path narrows, the water comes closer, and the rocks on both sides rise higher and higher. Finally, the river roars through its stony bed, spray mists fill the air, and granite walls up to 250 meters high tower above.
From above, Rosstrappe and Hexentanzplatz are visible to the keen eye, once mystical cult sites, now popular excursion destinations. The route continues along the Bode and later through Peace Park towards the final destination of the Harzer-Hexen-Stieg.