Steinerne Renne gorge and the Renneklippen from Hasserode

The walk starts from the Steinerne Renne car park in Hasserode, on the edge of Wernigerode. A lane and a track run beside the Harz narrow-gauge railway to the old hydro-power station, where the path enters the gorge of the Holtemme. The Steinerne Renne is a natural monument: about 2.5 km of valley cut into granite, with small waterfalls and rapids, falling about 250 m from top to bottom. The path climbs beside the water to the Waldgasthaus Steinerne Renne at the head of the gorge, stamp point 28 of the Harzer Wandernadel.

From the Waldgasthaus the line goes north over the Renneklippen viewpoint, past the Wolfstor and out on to the Bielstein-Chaussee, a forest road along the hillside. It follows this above the valley to the Wernigeröder Fenster viewpoint and drops to the car park. It is 6.7 km with 314 m of ascent; allow about 2½ hours. The grade is Hard because about 350 m of the path just below the Waldgasthaus is mapped in OpenStreetMap as demanding mountain hiking: it is steep and stony, and the rest of the walk is easier underfoot.

Wernigerode Tourismus describes the way along the water as a forest path with steep passages over stones, with care needed when it is wet, and says the walk needs good fitness. The Harzer Wandernadel's page for the inn calls the way straight through the gorge the most adventurous and most arduous, and says its upper section demands absolute sure-footedness. It lists a gentler gravel way to the inn by the Bielstein-Chaussee and the Wolfstor, which this walk uses coming back. The Waldgasthaus's opening hours depend on the weather and the holidays, so take food and drink.

The car park is mapped in OpenStreetMap as free of charge. The Steinerne Renne station on the narrow-gauge railway is about 400 m from the start.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.