(length 13 or 26 km / duration approx. 3 or 6 hours)

You start directly at the hotel in Schlosshotel Blankenburg and leave the town via Weinbergstraße (through the subway) heading north to Regenstein Castle and Fortress. You can find out about the history of the historic walls in the open-air museum there. Continue in the direction of Langenstein. Your destination is the Langenstein cave dwellings on the Schäferberg, which were built due to an extreme housing shortage. Some of the rock caves were used as regular dwellings until the 20th century. The cave dwellings can be visited by prior arrangement.

After a little refreshment in one of the cosy cafés, you can make your way back to Blankenburg.

(length approx. 10 km / duration approx. 3-4 hours)

The Bodetaler Kniffel-Stieg is particularly suitable for families with children for a day trip. The trail leads along the Bode at Wendefurth via Altenbrak to Treseburg (approx. 10 kilometres). Alternatively, you can park your car in Altenbrak and hike in one of the two directions (about 5 kilometres in each direction).

There is a map and a questionnaire for young hikers at the tourist information centre in Altenbrak. The questions can be answered on information boards along the route. Those who answer all the questions correctly can even look forward to a little surprise.

(length 14 km / duration: approx. 5 hours)

The legendary Brocken, at 1,141 metres the highest peak in the Harz Mountains, can also be hiked on exciting trails. The outward or return journey on the Brocken railway is a special experience. A popular hiking trail to the ‘Blocksberg’ is the 14-kilometre-long Eckerlochstieg. From Schierke, you hike through the Harz National Park via the Eckerloch up to the top of the mountain and back via the Kabelgraben. Schierke is around 45 minutes from Blankenburg by car. You will find a car park, for example, ‘Am Thälchen’ in Brockenstraße. The starting point in Schierke can also be reached by public transport (HEX HarzElbeExpress and from Werningerode onwards with the Harz narrow-gauge railway).

(Köhlerpfad section length: 24 km / duration 5.5 hours)

The quality hiking trail from Osterode via the Brocken to Thale has been recognised as a quality trail by the German Hiking Association. We recommend the Köhlerpfad stage (Königshütte – Rappbodetalsperre – Ruine Trageburg – Großes Mühlental – Hassel-Vorsperre – Hagenmühle – Hasselfelde – Köhlerlehrpfad – Stemberghaus / Köhlereimuseum – Altenbrak)

You can reach the start and end points of the charcoal burners‘ trail by car (approx. 20-30 minutes’ drive from Schlosshotel Blankenburg). Alternatively, you can reach the Königshütte starting point and the Altenbrak destination by public transport, so you can easily take the bus from/to Blankenburg.

(length 10.5 km / duration approx. 4 hours)

If you want to leave your car at the hotel, you can easily hike to the monastery. It is less than 5 km from the Schlosshotel to Michaelstein Monastery on the Goldbach, where the trail begins. Walk along the fish ponds and past the Mönchemühle, the Birkentalmühle, the Goldbacher Mühle and the Regensteinsmühle to the legendary Regenstein rock castle. Here you can enjoy a first-class view of the Brocken on one side and the northern Harz foreland on the other.

(Length: 13 km / duration approx. 3 hours)

Officially, the hiking trail starts in Thale and takes you to the centre of Goslar (total length 84 km). We recommend that our guests join the monastery hiking trail from Blankenburg. For example, hike from Schlosshotel Blankenburg in the direction of Michaelstein Monastery and St Bartholomew’s Mountain Church in Blankenburg on to Wendhausen Monastery in Thale (official start and end point of the monastery hiking trail). The second variant starts in Werningerode at Himmelpforten Monastery and takes you back to Blankenburg via Michaelstein Monastery.

(5th stage from Gernrode / length: 14 km / duration: 4 hours)

We recommend the 5th stage of the Selketal-Stieg (Gernrode – Bad Suderode – Quarmbeck – Quedlinburg) with a length of 14 kilometers. One of the most beautiful routes through the Lower Harz Mountains takes you along Falkenstein Castle from Stiege via Gernrode and Alexisbad to the UNESCO World Heritage town of Quedlinburg. You can also use the historic Selke Valley Railway for parts of the route or for the return journey.

Gernrode can be reached from the hotel by car in 20 minutes. The historic Selketalbahn runs between Gernrode and Quedlingburg, so you can easily return to the parking lot by train. Alternatively, you can travel to Gernrode by bus. The HEX HarzElbeExpress also takes you back to Blankenburg from Quedlingburg.

(Length 7 km / duration approx. 2 hours, circular walk, can be extended)

Not far from the Schlosshotel Blankenburg is the so-called Devil’s Wall – a sandstone formation about 20 km long that stretches from Ballenstedt to Blankenburg. The legends and myths of the wall were even mentioned by the Brothers Grimm in their stories and also served as a backdrop for films such as “The Pope” and “The Medicus”. The striking Grandfather Rock is the landmark of Blankenburg and rises almost 320 m above sea level. Enjoy the wonderful view of the town and the Harz foreland at sunset. The hike can be continued as you wish to the Sautrog or the Gewittergrotte in the direction of Timmerrode. The way back leads along a pleasant forest path via the Helsunger Krug, a popular restaurant with a beer garden.

(length 7 km / duration approx. 3 hours)

Romantic Bodetal hike and steep rocky hike at the same time. You can park in the free parking lots in Thale (Seilbahnen parking lot: Parkstraße 1 and, Rosstrappe parking lot: Rosstrappe 1).

On the 7-kilometre route from the valley station in Thale, you hike alongside the babbling Bode in the forest along the Goethe Rock and the Jungfernbrücke bridge below the Rosstrappe up to La Vieres-Höhe. Passing the Hexentanzplatz, the route takes you back down to Thale via the serpentine Sachsenwallweg. An ascent with the chairlift to the Rosstrappe is a special experience and also offers stunning views. You can reach the starting point by car from Blankenburg in around 15 minutes. You can also easily get to Thale from Blankenburg with the HEX HarzElbeExpress.