Sorge: Border History, Hiking Trails and Railway

Sorge combines border history with hiking trails and rides on the Harz Narrow Gauge Railway. You can plan your visit around three main attractions: the two border museums, two circular trails starting in Sorge and the railway station. This makes it easy to decide in advance whether exhibitions, a hike or a train ride will be the focus of your stay.

Border History in Two Museums

The Sorge Open-Air Border Museum displays original fragments of the GDR border security system and documents the history of the division of Germany. The Small Border Museum has its own focus: it features an original model of the border installations, as well as exhibits from the everyday lives of GDR border troops and residents of the border region. Visiting both museums offers a look at both the border installations and aspects of daily life for people in the border region.

The artwork “The Ring of Remembrance” is part of the Sorge Open-Air Border Museum. It is part of the Sorge border landscape and is located right in the museum, on the Green Belt and at the former inner-German border. These places and the artwork can be considered in connection with the history documented at the museum. People with mobility impairments can visit the Open-Air Border Museum only by prior arrangement, so please contact the museum beforehand to arrange your visit.

Compare Circular Trails by Length and Difficulty

The easy circular trail to the Sorge Open-Air and Small Border Museums (HWN 46) is 6.9 kilometres long. The stated walking time is 1 hour and 50 minutes; the trail starts at the Sorge Border Museum car park. The circular trail “In the Footsteps of Inner-German Border History 1” is longer at 8.8 kilometres and is rated moderate. It starts at the Ebersbachstraße car park in Sorge. The two routes therefore differ in length, stated difficulty and starting point.

If you plan to include a hike in your day, these details will help you compare the routes: the shorter one is described as easy, while the longer one is rated moderate. A walking time is also given for the first route. Before setting out, check current trail conditions and choose a route based on the information that suits your group. The starting points are different, so it is worth bearing this in mind when planning.

Train Rides and a Stop for Children

You can take rides on the Harz Narrow Gauge Railway and a steam locomotive from Sorge railway station. From there, you can reach the Brocken, Wernigerode or Nordhausen. If a train ride fits your plans, check the current timetable before departure.

There is also a playground for children near Sorge railway station. If it is relevant to your plans, take its location into account and check its current condition on site if needed. The Sorge local festival takes place every year at the former small gondola pond. Check the current dates for the Sorge local festival before your visit.

More Experiences in the Oberharz am Brocken

The wider destination of Oberharz am Brocken offers more ideas for planning your trip. In Hasselfelde, a moderate circular trail goes around the Hassel reservoir; it is 5.5 kilometres long, with a stated duration of 1 hour and 28 minutes, and is described as a circular trail. Another hike through mixed woodland to the Krockstein viewpoint is 2.8 kilometres long and rated moderate; its stated walking time is 55 minutes. These examples complement the Sorge trails with other distances and destinations within the wider area.

You can get a seasonal glimpse of traditional craftsmanship at the Harzköhlerei Stemberghaus: from early April to the end of October, traditional earth kilns are built, fired and harvested there. This offers a chance to experience the traditional charcoal-burning craft firsthand. Check the dates for your travel period before visiting.

When choosing accommodation in Sorge, you can start by considering which of these interests will shape your stay: the border museums, one of the hikes described here or a ride on the Harz Narrow Gauge Railway. The location details, starting points and trail information can help you put together the right focus for your trip.

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

See the wider travel overview: Oberharz Am Brocken.