Quedlinburg - in the Harz Mountains National Park

I'm back at Proitzer Mühle now, but the next couple of posts will be about Quedlinburg, and not necessarily in order.

On Wednesday morning we took a train to Thale (pronounced Taala), which is at the foot of the Harz Mountains on the northern side.  It’s only 12 minutes from Quedlinburg.  From there we walked to the Seilbahn station (gondola), past a huge tree-top ropes course and family games area.  The gondola was recently renovated, and there were lovely views on the way up, including through the floor of the gondola.

Looking up towards the top of the valley

Looking back down at Thale

Going over the creek

Our combi-ticket included one run on the Harzbob, which is a Sommerrodelbahn (all weather bobsled).

Look, Ma - no hands!

The Harz Mountains are heavily associated with witches.  Walpurgisnacht, 30^th April, is still celebrated here, with as many as 25,000 people coming to Hexentanzplatz or the Brocken (the highest peak in the Harz at 1124m).  Hexentanzplatz (witches’ dancing place) is quite touristy, but very few English-speaking tourists – mainly Germans.

With the devil and some other critter

Even witches need a helping hand.  Her hands and feet are massive!

Nice views looking down towards Thale

And towards the mountains and the Seilbahn

This is the Saxon Wall.  Built around 750 BC, it’s 150 metres long, 4 metres wide at the base and 2 metres high.

Looks like a drystone wall, but it's survived a very long time

Going down now

The red gondolas don't have glass floors

After that we went on the Sesselbahn, the chairlift, which goes to Rosstrappe on the opposite side of the valley.  Legend has it that Brunhilde, on her horse, jumped from one side of the valley to the other to escape an unwanted marriage.  Her fiance, Prince Bodo, tried to follow and plunged to his death, giving his name to the Bode River.

When the sun shines through the forest, it's an incredible green colour

And the view from the chairlift.  It's actually really steep