Follow the signposting No. 9 on the orange blossom petal
The route begins at the parking lot at the Tourist Information at Schnappelberg. A small carved devil shows you the way across the motorhome parking area. You carefully cross the B 81 and climb the stone, natural stairs at the beginning of the opposite Heidelberg street. The rooty path first leads past the “Grandmother Rock” to the “Grandfather Rock”. From the highest rock, which can be easily climbed with the help of railings and iron steps, you have a beautiful view of the castle park and the town and far into the Harz foothills.
From the Grandfather Rock follow the signposting ridge path towards Hamburger Wappen near Timmenrode. The path first leads to the “Löbbecke Rock”. From here the path consists of the approx. 2 km long narrow climbing path with partly steep slopes and rock passages, lined with fragrant pines and young beeches. Many places on the exposed rocks offer magnificent views of the Harz landscape.
After about 2 km of rock hiking path you descend between the rocks, past the “Siegfried Grotto”, down the steps and reach the wide main path. Here you turn right and pass the shelter to a huge rock overhang, the “Thunderstorm Grotto”. A few meters further is the “Fox Den”, an artificially created cellar.
Following the comfortable, wide main path, which incidentally is also the stroller circular route at this point, you continue to the next intersection. Depending on your “hunger feeling” you can make a detour to the inn “Helsunger Krug” here and follow the signposting of path No. 10 or keep right and continue on No. 9 towards Hamburger Wappen, near which there is also a place to stop for refreshments.
The path leads uphill to the right and along a natural stone-lined ditch. At the Hamburger Wappen sign or No. 9 a path that becomes narrower and narrower snakes to the left along the mountainside. Bizarre sandstone rocks announce after a few hundred meters the rock group around Hamburger Wappen. Here you leave the forest and the view opens up to the popular hiking destination with the stamping point No. 74 of the Harz hiking badge. Enjoy the view and the impressive rocks. The inn “Teufelsmauer” 500 m away invites you to stop for refreshment. Public toilets are also located here during opening hours (Wed-Sun).
The return to Blankenburg runs approximately from the stamp box parallel to the edge of the field. Some benches also invite you to rest here with a view over the village Timmenrode. Along the path you will find besides No. 9 the signposting of the Harz monastery hiking trail with the red cross and the E11. A rooty path through the forest soon leads some distance from the country road over a small mountain ridge to a crossroads. You continue straight on the south slope path, which leads at the foot of the Teufelsmauer back to the Grandfather Rock.
At the inn “Grandfather” the circular route No. 9 leads along the street “Grandfather Way” to Hasselfelder Street and back to Schnappelberg and the starting point.
