Kamschlacken: Rocky Cliffs, Hiking Trails and History

Kamschlacken combines rocky cliffs, hiking trails and local history. Several routes lead through the area around Riefensbeek and Kamschlacken. Destinations along the routes range from the outdoor swimming pool via Hanskühnenburg to the Söse Valley Reservoir.

Rocky Cliffs East of Kamschlacken

The rocky cliffs east of Kamschlacken were formed from hard greywacke and quartzite layers that created high, steep cliffs during the permafrost of the Ice Age. They are impressive witnesses to the most recent geological past. The block scree slopes are also located east of Kamschlacken. In this section of the landscape, the high cliffs and the block scree slopes are situated next to each other. Those interested in geology can view the cliffs, block scree slopes and their formation together there.

Christus Chapel with a View of the Söse Valley

The history of the locality includes the Christus Chapel in Riefensbeek-Kamschlacken. It faces west and is shaped like a tent. Its altar wall consists entirely of windows, offering views of the Söse Valley landscape. The chapel was consecrated on the third Sunday of Advent in 1966.

Hiking Trails to the Cliffs and Outdoor Swimming Pool

A hiking trail leads to the Kamschlacken outdoor swimming pool. From there, the Aller Cliffs, Wolf Cliffs, Siebenwochen Cliffs and Ifen Cliffs can be linked into a circular hike. The Allertal Riefensbeek-Kamschlacken hiking route also leads to the Kamschlacken outdoor swimming pool. On the Cliffs Circular Route, the four cliffs lie along a circular course; on the Allertal Route, the outdoor swimming pool is the destination. The outdoor swimming pool is a reference point on both routes, but serves a different function on each. When planning your route, therefore, distinguish between the circular course of the Cliffs Circular Route and the outdoor swimming pool as the destination of the Allertal Route.

BaudenSteig Circular Route via Hanskühnenburg

BaudenSteig Circular Route No. 3 leads from Riefensbeek to the Hanskühnenburg National Park forest restaurant and back to Riefensbeek via the Söse Valley Reservoir. On this circular route, Riefensbeek is both the starting point and the return destination. Hanskühnenburg lies on the outward journey, while the Söse Valley Reservoir lies on the return journey. The route uses different waypoints for the outward and return journeys.

Harzer Försterstieg and Cycling Sections

The 60-kilometre Harzer Försterstieg leads from the historic imperial city of Goslar to the mountain village of Riefensbeek-Kamschlacken. Information boards and small experience areas can be found along the entire route. Larger sections of the Harzer Försterstieg can be comfortably covered by bicycle. The 60 kilometres refer to the entire connection from Goslar to Riefensbeek-Kamschlacken; cycling refers to the larger sections. When planning stages, cyclists should therefore distinguish between the 60-kilometre overall connection and the larger sections suitable for cycling.

Documentary Mention and Mining History

Kamschlacken was first mentioned in documentary records in 1460. In the area around Riefensbeek and Kamschlacken, entrepreneurs from Goslar operated smelting works approximately between 1200 and 1350, where ores from the Rammelsberg were processed. Around 1560, ironworks existed in the area of what is now Riefensbeek-Kamschlacken. Near Kamschlacken, there were also mines for extracting non-ferrous metals from 1705 to 1735. For those interested in culture, the Christus Chapel, the first documentary mention and the mining history are the main highlights.

To the overarching travel overview: Riefensbeek-Kamschlacken.