The Brocken summit in the Harz National Park

Flagship · Sachsen-Anhalt · Niedersachsen · Thüringen

Harz — Germany's High North

The Brocken's misty roof, the Bodetal's granite gorge, and moss forest older than the country.

See day routes All flagships Save to library

Best window

May – Oct

Day routes

6 curated

Difficulty

Gentle – moderate

Family-friendly

Yes (most)

Soul Signature

92 / 100

The path, gently held

Northern Germany's only real mountains — the Harz — hold a granite plateau, a national park of untouched spruce, and the country's most literary summit. Six curated day-hikes, all pure hiking, from the Brocken pilgrimage to the Bode's granite gorge.

Day-routes

Trail km

70.6

Ascent m

2,581

Walk hours

Soul avg

Harz — Germany's High North · 6 days combined

One .gpx · 6 numbered day tracks (D01…D06) · elevation on every point.

puresoul-harz-germany-s-high-north-full-trip-6-days-YYYY-MM-DD.gpx

D01 · 15 km · +609 m
Brocken via Goetheweg from Torfhaus
puresoul-harz-germany-s-high-north-segment-d01-brocken-via-goetheweg-from-torfhaus-YYYY-MM-DD.gpx
Google Maps Apple Maps Walk route (Apple)
D02 · 14 km · +422 m / −349 m
Bodetal — Thale to Treseburg
puresoul-harz-germany-s-high-north-segment-d02-bodetal-thale-to-treseburg-YYYY-MM-DD.gpx
Google Maps Apple Maps Walk route (Apple)
D03 · 8.3 km · +403 m
Ilsetal — Ilsenburg to Heinrichshöhe
puresoul-harz-germany-s-high-north-segment-d03-ilsetal-ilsenburg-to-heinrichshohe-YYYY-MM-DD.gpx
Google Maps Apple Maps Walk route (Apple)
D04 · 7.3 km · +150 m
Wurmberg loop from Braunlage
puresoul-harz-germany-s-high-north-segment-d04-wurmberg-loop-from-braunlage-YYYY-MM-DD.gpx
Google Maps Apple Maps Walk route (Apple)
D05 · 13 km · +405 m / −407 m
Okertal Klippenweg
puresoul-harz-germany-s-high-north-segment-d05-okertal-klippenweg-YYYY-MM-DD.gpx
Google Maps Apple Maps Walk route (Apple)
D06 · 13 km · +592 m
Harzer Hexen-Stieg — Osterode → Buntenbock
puresoul-harz-germany-s-high-north-segment-d06-harzer-hexen-stieg-osterode-buntenbock-YYYY-MM-DD.gpx
Google Maps Apple Maps Walk route (Apple)

Every file mirrors the emerald ribbon on the map with zero drift · Garmin · Strava · Komoot · AllTrails · Gaia · OsmAnd. For offline map tiles, open a day-route below and tap Download GPX & Offline Maps.

Open offline mode

Choose your day

6 curated day-routes.

Each route stands beautifully on its own — or stitch them together for a slow, multi-day pilgrimage. Real photos, Xymove maps, GPX & offline pack on every one.

The Brocken summit with its historic weather tower

Day-route 01

Torfhaus · Nationalpark Harz

Brocken via Goetheweg from Torfhaus

The literary pilgrimage — Goethe's own route to the Brocken (1141 m), the misty summit of Northern Germany. Through Nationalpark spruce, past the Eckertalsperre, up to the summit plateau of Walpurgis-legend fame.

↔ 15 km↑ +609 m◔ 5 h

Serenity89Regenerative82Family63Joy & beauty92

94/ 100

Soul Signature

Exceptional · Brocken via Goetheweg from Torfhaus

Best for a walk that lingers long after it ends — just know that the distance and ascent ask for hiking legs.

Soul94 · Exceptional
How deeply the walk stays with you. A walk people plan a year around. Give it a whole, unhurried day.
Serenity89 · Strong
How quiet the trail feels — crowds, traffic noise, remoteness. Calm outside peak hours; start before 9am for near-solitude.
Regenerative82 · Strong
Wild ground and low-impact access — how gently you can arrive and walk. Good public-transport access; stay on the marked line.
Joy & beauty92 · Exceptional
Views, water, light and variety along the way. Continuous reward — allow extra hours simply for stopping.
Family-friendly63 · Modest
Suitability for mixed pace — distance, ascent and exposure. A full adult hiking day. Not a family outing.

050100

Who this walk suits

Plan it as a full adult hiking day.
Quiet enough to hear the weather change.
Reachable without a car — check the station links.

Scores are derived from the route's real GPX shape — distance, ascent and time on foot — combined with our editors' calibration across 175+ walks. Nothing here is sponsored.

Trail at a glance

Distance15 km
Elevation+609 m
Duration5 h
DifficultyStrenuous
Serenity89 / 100

Xymove · terrain map

LiveRolling

15.4 km609 m222 mSerenity 89

Soul Signature15.4 km↑609↓222

Map key

Hiking trail
Start
Finish
Parking

Trail field guide

Water
Food
Shelter / hut
Viewpoint
Trailhead
Rest / picnic
Stay

Tap any pin for hours, water & food details.

Elevation cross-section · metres↑ 609 m↓ 222 m597–1136 m · 15.4 km~5.4% avg

Soul & Serenity · how this path is felt

A grounded, regenerative walk. Move gently and it will meet you halfway.

Walked, sat with, scored honestly — strongest in nature.

89soul

Presence

91/100

How easily the mind quiets here

Nature

93/100

Wildness, water, light, living silence

Regeneration

87/100

What the body & nervous system bring home

Solitude

83/100

Space from crowds, kindly shared with locals

Distance15.4 km

Elevation↑ 609 · ↓ 222 m

TerrainRolling

Start · Torfhaus Nationalpark centreFinish · Brocken summit (1141 m)

Take the path with you — full GPX track & offline map tiles for the whole route.

Verifying GPX accuracy…Garmin · Strava · Komoot · AllTrails

How to use offline · a soul-aware guide›

Tap Download GPX & Offline Maps on Wi-Fi — your route, waypoints, elevation and soul notes are saved together.
Import the .gpx into Garmin Connect, Komoot, Strava, AllTrails or Gaia GPS — same file works everywhere.
Open this page once before you leave signal. The map will replay from the cache, even on a plane.
On the trail, breathe before you check the screen. The Emerald Guardian is already with you.

Live from OpenStreetMap

Along the trail — water, shelter, parking & food

Points within 1.5 km of the emerald ribbon, sourced live from the OSM community and cached for 30 days so they still appear when you’re offline in the field.

Water

Loading…

Shelters & huts

Loading…

Parking & trailheads

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Restaurants & cafés

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Practical, gently arranged

Bus 820 from Bad Harzburg / Braunlage to Torfhaus.

Historic Brockenbahn steam train from the summit to Wernigerode.

The Brocken is in cloud 300 days a year — pack warm even in August.

Day-route 02

Thale · Sachsen-Anhalt

Bodetal — Thale to Treseburg

The 'Grand Canyon of Northern Germany' — a granite gorge with the Rosstrappe cliff and Hexentanzplatz above. Walk upstream from Thale along the roaring Bode to Treseburg.

↔ 14 km↑ +422 m / −349 m◔ 4 – 5 h

Serenity92Regenerative82Family66Joy & beauty94

95/ 100

Soul Signature

Exceptional · Bodetal — Thale to Treseburg

Best for a walk that lingers long after it ends — just know that the distance and ascent ask for hiking legs.

Soul95 · Exceptional
How deeply the walk stays with you. A walk people plan a year around. Give it a whole, unhurried day.
Serenity92 · Exceptional
How quiet the trail feels — crowds, traffic noise, remoteness. Expect long stretches entirely to yourself.
Regenerative82 · Strong
Wild ground and low-impact access — how gently you can arrive and walk. Good public-transport access; stay on the marked line.
Joy & beauty94 · Exceptional
Views, water, light and variety along the way. Continuous reward — allow extra hours simply for stopping.
Family-friendly66 · Modest
Suitability for mixed pace — distance, ascent and exposure. A full adult hiking day. Not a family outing.

050100

Who this walk suits

Plan it as a full adult hiking day.
Quiet enough to hear the weather change.
Reachable without a car — check the station links.

Scores are derived from the route's real GPX shape — distance, ascent and time on foot — combined with our editors' calibration across 175+ walks. Nothing here is sponsored.

Trail at a glance

Distance14 km
Elevation+422 m / −349 m
Duration4 – 5 h
DifficultyStrenuous
Serenity92 / 100

Xymove · terrain map

LiveRolling

13.7 km422 m349 mSerenity 92

Soul Signature13.7 km↑422↓349

Map key

Hiking trail
Start
Finish
Parking

Trail field guide

Water
Food
Shelter / hut
Viewpoint
Trailhead
Rest / picnic
Stay

Tap any pin for hours, water & food details.

Elevation cross-section · metres↑ 422 m↓ 349 m160–376 m · 13.7 km~5.6% avg

Soul & Serenity · how this path is felt

A path that returns you to yourself — slowly, kindly, completely.

Walked, sat with, scored honestly — strongest in nature.

92soul

Presence

94/100

How easily the mind quiets here

Nature

96/100

Wildness, water, light, living silence

Regeneration

90/100

What the body & nervous system bring home

Solitude

86/100

Space from crowds, kindly shared with locals

Distance13.7 km

Elevation↑ 422 · ↓ 349 m

TerrainRolling

Start · Thale BahnhofFinish · Treseburg village

Take the path with you — full GPX track & offline map tiles for the whole route.

Verifying GPX accuracy…Garmin · Strava · Komoot · AllTrails

How to use offline · a soul-aware guide›

Tap Download GPX & Offline Maps on Wi-Fi — your route, waypoints, elevation and soul notes are saved together.
Import the .gpx into Garmin Connect, Komoot, Strava, AllTrails or Gaia GPS — same file works everywhere.
Open this page once before you leave signal. The map will replay from the cache, even on a plane.
On the trail, breathe before you check the screen. The Emerald Guardian is already with you.

Live from OpenStreetMap

Along the trail — water, shelter, parking & food

Points within 1.5 km of the emerald ribbon, sourced live from the OSM community and cached for 30 days so they still appear when you’re offline in the field.

Water

Loading…

Shelters & huts

Loading…

Parking & trailheads

Loading…

Restaurants & cafés

Loading…

Practical, gently arranged

Harzer Schmalspurbahn / regional train to Thale.

Wet in every season — waterproof shoes; kids love the river and the cliffs above.

Bus 265 from Treseburg back to Thale.

Ilse waterfalls in the Ilsetal, Harz National Park

Day-route 03

Ilsenburg · Nationalpark Harz

Ilsetal — Ilsenburg to Heinrichshöhe

The valley Heine walked and wrote 'Die Harzreise' about. Follow the Ilse's granite pools and cascades up through wild spruce to Heinrichshöhe, a Brocken-shoulder viewpoint.

↔ 8.3 km↑ +403 m◔ 4.5 h

Serenity92Regenerative80Family73Joy & beauty93

94/ 100

Soul Signature

Exceptional · Ilsetal — Ilsenburg to Heinrichshöhe

Best for a walk that lingers long after it ends — just know that the distance and ascent ask for hiking legs.

Soul94 · Exceptional
How deeply the walk stays with you. A walk people plan a year around. Give it a whole, unhurried day.
Serenity92 · Exceptional
How quiet the trail feels — crowds, traffic noise, remoteness. Expect long stretches entirely to yourself.
Regenerative80 · Strong
Wild ground and low-impact access — how gently you can arrive and walk. Good public-transport access; stay on the marked line.
Joy & beauty93 · Exceptional
Views, water, light and variety along the way. Continuous reward — allow extra hours simply for stopping.
Family-friendly73 · Balanced
Suitability for mixed pace — distance, ascent and exposure. Teenagers and used-to-walking families; plan turn-around points.

050100

Who this walk suits

Suits confident young walkers with breaks planned.
Quiet enough to hear the weather change.
Share transport where you can; the ground here is slow to heal.

Scores are derived from the route's real GPX shape — distance, ascent and time on foot — combined with our editors' calibration across 175+ walks. Nothing here is sponsored.

Trail at a glance

Distance8.3 km
Elevation+403 m
Duration4.5 h
DifficultyChallenging
Serenity92 / 100

Xymove · terrain map

LiveRolling

8.3 km403 m213 mSerenity 92

Soul Signature8.3 km↑403↓213

Map key

Hiking trail
Start
Finish
Parking

Trail field guide

Water
Food
Shelter / hut
Viewpoint
Trailhead
Rest / picnic
Stay

Tap any pin for hours, water & food details.

Elevation cross-section · metres↑ 403 m↓ 213 m288–560 m · 8.3 km~7.4% avg

Soul & Serenity · how this path is felt

A path that returns you to yourself — slowly, kindly, completely.

Walked, sat with, scored honestly — strongest in nature.

92soul

Presence

94/100

How easily the mind quiets here

Nature

96/100

Wildness, water, light, living silence

Regeneration

90/100

What the body & nervous system bring home

Solitude

86/100

Space from crowds, kindly shared with locals

Distance8.3 km

Elevation↑ 403 · ↓ 213 m

TerrainRolling

Start · Ilsenburg (start)Finish · Heinrichshöhe (1044 m)

Take the path with you — full GPX track & offline map tiles for the whole route.

Verifying GPX accuracy…Garmin · Strava · Komoot · AllTrails

How to use offline · a soul-aware guide›

Tap Download GPX & Offline Maps on Wi-Fi — your route, waypoints, elevation and soul notes are saved together.
Import the .gpx into Garmin Connect, Komoot, Strava, AllTrails or Gaia GPS — same file works everywhere.
Open this page once before you leave signal. The map will replay from the cache, even on a plane.
On the trail, breathe before you check the screen. The Emerald Guardian is already with you.

Live from OpenStreetMap

Along the trail — water, shelter, parking & food

Points within 1.5 km of the emerald ribbon, sourced live from the OSM community and cached for 30 days so they still appear when you’re offline in the field.

Water

Loading…

Shelters & huts

Loading…

Parking & trailheads

Loading…

Restaurants & cafés

Loading…

Practical, gently arranged

Local train to Ilsenburg; walk from the station.

Plessenburg (currently closed for renovation — check ahead).

Heinrichshöhe joins the Goetheweg to the Brocken summit for a full 9h day.

Day-route 04

Braunlage · Niedersachsen

Wurmberg loop from Braunlage

The second-highest summit of the Harz (971 m). Straight from the spa town of Braunlage up through spruce to the Wurmberg summit plateau, with a Brocken panorama and a wooden watchtower.

↔ 7.3 km↑ +150 m◔ 3.5 h

Serenity88Regenerative75Family81Joy & beauty90

91/ 100

Soul Signature

Exceptional · Wurmberg loop from Braunlage

Best for a walk that lingers long after it ends — just know that arriving without a car takes planning.

Soul91 · Exceptional
How deeply the walk stays with you. A walk people plan a year around. Give it a whole, unhurried day.
Serenity88 · Strong
How quiet the trail feels — crowds, traffic noise, remoteness. Calm outside peak hours; start before 9am for near-solitude.
Regenerative75 · Balanced
Wild ground and low-impact access — how gently you can arrive and walk. Mixed access — check the car-free options before you book a car.
Joy & beauty90 · Exceptional
Views, water, light and variety along the way. Continuous reward — allow extra hours simply for stopping.
Family-friendly81 · Strong
Suitability for mixed pace — distance, ascent and exposure. Fine for confident children from roughly eight upwards.

050100

Who this walk suits

Suits confident young walkers with breaks planned.
Quiet enough to hear the weather change.
Share transport where you can; the ground here is slow to heal.

Scores are derived from the route's real GPX shape — distance, ascent and time on foot — combined with our editors' calibration across 175+ walks. Nothing here is sponsored.

Trail at a glance

Distance7.3 km
Elevation+150 m
Duration3.5 h
DifficultyModerate
Serenity88 / 100

Xymove · terrain map

LiveGentle

7.3 km150 m150 mSerenity 88

Soul Signature7.3 km↑150↓150

Map key

Hiking trail
Start
Finish
Parking

Trail field guide

Water
Food
Shelter / hut
Viewpoint
Trailhead
Rest / picnic
Stay

Tap any pin for hours, water & food details.

Elevation cross-section · metres↑ 150 m↓ 150 m563–646 m · 7.3 km~4.1% avg

Soul & Serenity · how this path is felt

A grounded, regenerative walk. Move gently and it will meet you halfway.

Walked, sat with, scored honestly — strongest in nature.

88soul

Presence

90/100

How easily the mind quiets here

Nature

92/100

Wildness, water, light, living silence

Regeneration

86/100

What the body & nervous system bring home

Solitude

82/100

Space from crowds, kindly shared with locals

Distance7.3 km

Elevation↑ 150 · ↓ 150 m

TerrainGentle

Start · Braunlage WurmbergseilbahnFinish · Wurmberg summit tower (971 m)

Take the path with you — full GPX track & offline map tiles for the whole route.

Verifying GPX accuracy…Garmin · Strava · Komoot · AllTrails

How to use offline · a soul-aware guide›

Tap Download GPX & Offline Maps on Wi-Fi — your route, waypoints, elevation and soul notes are saved together.
Import the .gpx into Garmin Connect, Komoot, Strava, AllTrails or Gaia GPS — same file works everywhere.
Open this page once before you leave signal. The map will replay from the cache, even on a plane.
On the trail, breathe before you check the screen. The Emerald Guardian is already with you.

Live from OpenStreetMap

Along the trail — water, shelter, parking & food

Points within 1.5 km of the emerald ribbon, sourced live from the OSM community and cached for 30 days so they still appear when you’re offline in the field.

Water

Loading…

Shelters & huts

Loading…

Parking & trailheads

Loading…

Restaurants & cafés

Loading…

Practical, gently arranged

Bus 820 or 875 to Braunlage; walk from the town centre.

Cable car available if legs tire on the descent.

Wurmberg-Alm for waffles and Bratwurst on the terrace.

The Oker gorge with granite crags rising above

Day-route 05

Oker · Bad Harzburg

Okertal Klippenweg

A gentler cousin of the Bodetal — the Oker river runs between granite crags with names like Feigenbaumklippe, Wolfsklippe, and Kästeklippen. Wild, mossy, and blissfully underrated.

↔ 13 km↑ +405 m / −407 m◔ 4 h

Serenity90Regenerative80Family71Joy & beauty92

93/ 100

Soul Signature

Exceptional · Okertal Klippenweg

Best for a walk that lingers long after it ends — just know that the distance and ascent ask for hiking legs.

Soul93 · Exceptional
How deeply the walk stays with you. A walk people plan a year around. Give it a whole, unhurried day.
Serenity90 · Exceptional
How quiet the trail feels — crowds, traffic noise, remoteness. Expect long stretches entirely to yourself.
Regenerative80 · Strong
Wild ground and low-impact access — how gently you can arrive and walk. Good public-transport access; stay on the marked line.
Joy & beauty92 · Exceptional
Views, water, light and variety along the way. Continuous reward — allow extra hours simply for stopping.
Family-friendly71 · Balanced
Suitability for mixed pace — distance, ascent and exposure. Teenagers and used-to-walking families; plan turn-around points.

050100

Who this walk suits

Suits confident young walkers with breaks planned.
Quiet enough to hear the weather change.
Share transport where you can; the ground here is slow to heal.

Scores are derived from the route's real GPX shape — distance, ascent and time on foot — combined with our editors' calibration across 175+ walks. Nothing here is sponsored.

Trail at a glance

Distance13 km
Elevation+405 m / −407 m
Duration4 h
DifficultyChallenging
Serenity90 / 100

Xymove · terrain map

LiveRolling

13.3 km405 m407 mSerenity 90

Soul Signature13.3 km↑405↓407

Map key

Hiking trail
Start
Finish
Parking

Trail field guide

Water
Food
Shelter / hut
Viewpoint
Trailhead
Rest / picnic
Stay

Tap any pin for hours, water & food details.

Elevation cross-section · metres↑ 405 m↓ 407 m390–573 m · 13.3 km~6.1% avg

Soul & Serenity · how this path is felt

A path that returns you to yourself — slowly, kindly, completely.

Walked, sat with, scored honestly — strongest in nature.

90soul

Presence

92/100

How easily the mind quiets here

Nature

94/100

Wildness, water, light, living silence

Regeneration

88/100

What the body & nervous system bring home

Solitude

84/100

Space from crowds, kindly shared with locals

Distance13.3 km

Elevation↑ 405 · ↓ 407 m

TerrainRolling

Start · Romkerhalle waterfallFinish · Kästeklippen

Take the path with you — full GPX track & offline map tiles for the whole route.

Verifying GPX accuracy…Garmin · Strava · Komoot · AllTrails

How to use offline · a soul-aware guide›

Tap Download GPX & Offline Maps on Wi-Fi — your route, waypoints, elevation and soul notes are saved together.
Import the .gpx into Garmin Connect, Komoot, Strava, AllTrails or Gaia GPS — same file works everywhere.
Open this page once before you leave signal. The map will replay from the cache, even on a plane.
On the trail, breathe before you check the screen. The Emerald Guardian is already with you.

Live from OpenStreetMap

Along the trail — water, shelter, parking & food

Points within 1.5 km of the emerald ribbon, sourced live from the OSM community and cached for 30 days so they still appear when you’re offline in the field.

Water

Loading…

Shelters & huts

Loading…

Parking & trailheads

Loading…

Restaurants & cafés

Loading…

Practical, gently arranged

Bus 830 from Goslar to Romkerhalle.

Some scrambling; kids 8+ love the granite crag climb-ups.

Full climbing hardware is allowed on the crags for those who want more.

UNESCO Oberharzer Wasserregal historic mining ponds

Day-route 06

Osterode am Harz

Harzer Hexen-Stieg — Osterode → Buntenbock

The most peaceful stage of the Harzer Hexen-Stieg (100 km east-west across the Harz) — a soft, forested walk from Osterode through UNESCO Oberharzer Wasserregal historic mining ponds to Buntenbock.

↔ 13 km↑ +592 m◔ 5 h

Serenity90Regenerative81Family65Joy & beauty91

91/ 100

Soul Signature

Exceptional · Harzer Hexen-Stieg — Osterode → Buntenbock

Best for a walk that lingers long after it ends — just know that the distance and ascent ask for hiking legs.

Soul91 · Exceptional
How deeply the walk stays with you. A walk people plan a year around. Give it a whole, unhurried day.
Serenity90 · Exceptional
How quiet the trail feels — crowds, traffic noise, remoteness. Expect long stretches entirely to yourself.
Regenerative81 · Strong
Wild ground and low-impact access — how gently you can arrive and walk. Good public-transport access; stay on the marked line.
Joy & beauty91 · Exceptional
Views, water, light and variety along the way. Continuous reward — allow extra hours simply for stopping.
Family-friendly65 · Modest
Suitability for mixed pace — distance, ascent and exposure. A full adult hiking day. Not a family outing.

050100

Who this walk suits

Plan it as a full adult hiking day.
Quiet enough to hear the weather change.
Share transport where you can; the ground here is slow to heal.

Scores are derived from the route's real GPX shape — distance, ascent and time on foot — combined with our editors' calibration across 175+ walks. Nothing here is sponsored.

Trail at a glance

Distance13 km
Elevation+592 m
Duration5 h
DifficultyStrenuous
Serenity90 / 100

Xymove · terrain map

LiveRolling

12.8 km592 m232 mSerenity 90

Soul Signature12.8 km↑592↓232

Map key

Hiking trail
Start
Finish
Parking

Trail field guide

Water
Food
Shelter / hut
Viewpoint
Trailhead
Rest / picnic
Stay

Tap any pin for hours, water & food details.

Elevation cross-section · metres↑ 592 m↓ 232 m220–580 m · 12.8 km~6.5% avg

Soul & Serenity · how this path is felt

A path that returns you to yourself — slowly, kindly, completely.

Walked, sat with, scored honestly — strongest in nature.

90soul

Presence

92/100

How easily the mind quiets here

Nature

94/100

Wildness, water, light, living silence

Regeneration

88/100

What the body & nervous system bring home

Solitude

84/100

Space from crowds, kindly shared with locals

Distance12.8 km

Elevation↑ 592 · ↓ 232 m

TerrainRolling

Start · Osterode BahnhofFinish · Buntenbock

Take the path with you — full GPX track & offline map tiles for the whole route.

Verifying GPX accuracy…Garmin · Strava · Komoot · AllTrails

How to use offline · a soul-aware guide›

Tap Download GPX & Offline Maps on Wi-Fi — your route, waypoints, elevation and soul notes are saved together.
Import the .gpx into Garmin Connect, Komoot, Strava, AllTrails or Gaia GPS — same file works everywhere.
Open this page once before you leave signal. The map will replay from the cache, even on a plane.
On the trail, breathe before you check the screen. The Emerald Guardian is already with you.

Live from OpenStreetMap

Along the trail — water, shelter, parking & food

Points within 1.5 km of the emerald ribbon, sourced live from the OSM community and cached for 30 days so they still appear when you’re offline in the field.

Water

Loading…

Shelters & huts

Loading…

Parking & trailheads

Loading…

Restaurants & cafés

Loading…

Practical, gently arranged

Regional train to Osterode; return bus 830 from Buntenbock to Clausthal.

The Wasserregal ponds are World Heritage — please don't swim in them.

Gasthaus zur alten Mühle in Buntenbock for a hearty lunch.

Where to sleep

Stays near the trail

Trail-close, calm and family-friendly — along Harz — Germany's High North.

Hotels

Hotels in Wernigerode

Northern Harz basecamp

Half-timbered old-town hotels beneath the Brocken — the Harz's most beautiful basecamp.

Booking.com Google

Stays in Goslar

Western Harz basecamp

UNESCO old-town hotels at the Harz's western edge — steam trains climb to the Brocken from here.

Booking.com Google

Camping

Camping am Bergsee (Hahnenklee)

Upper Harz camping

Forest lake pitches in the Upper Harz — quiet, family-run, trail-close.

Booking.com Google Campsite

Quiet, trail-close places to rest. Always check current availability and conditions.

Other flagships

Walk on, gently.

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Misty Scottish glen with heather slopes and emerald ridges

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Kumano Kodo

A thousand years of presence — cedar, moss, small shrines and one clear breath.

Aerial view of Château de Chambord glowing at golden hour above the Loire forest

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Sentiers de la Loire

Château walks, vineyard paths and slow river light — on foot.

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Picos de Europa

Limestone cathedrals above emerald meadows — Spain's wildest, kindest range.

Slovakia · Poland

High Tatras

Granite cathedrals over emerald lakes — Europe's smallest, sharpest alps.

Mont Blanc massif rising above alpine meadows in early summer

France · Italy · Switzerland

Tour du Mont Blanc

The classic circuit around Europe's white giant — three countries, one mountain, endless light.

The Aiguilles de Bavella red granite spires under Corsican sky

Corsica · France

GR20 · Corsica

Europe's wildest waymarked trail, red granite spine of the island.

Half Dome and Yosemite Valley from Glacier Point in golden light

California · USA

John Muir Trail

Three hundred and forty miles of Sierra granite and lake-light.

Machu Picchu at dawn with mist rising from the Urubamba valley

Cusco · Peru

Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Stone stairways through the cloud forest to a lost city.

Gandaki · Nepal

Annapurna Base Camp

A stone amphitheatre of eight-thousanders, teahouse-warm.

Oeschinensee turquoise lake beneath the Blüemlisalp massif

Bernese Oberland, Switzerland

Via Alpina · Green Trail

Turquoise lakes, high passes, and the cowbell heart of the Bernese Alps.

Turquoise Ölüdeniz lagoon on Türkiye's Lycian coast

Turquoise Coast, Türkiye

Lycian Way

540 km of sea, pine and ancient stone along the Mediterranean's kindest coast.

Landmannalaugar rhyolite mountains in soft summer light

Highlands, Iceland

Laugavegur

Rhyolite rainbows, obsidian fields, glacier rivers and the birch of Þórsmörk.

Santiago de Compostela Cathedral glowing in evening light

Northern Spain · The Way of St. James

Camino Francés

The oldest pilgrim road in Europe — 800 km of yellow arrows and quiet returning.

Khumbu · Nepal Himalaya

Everest Base Camp Trek

Twelve days to the foot of the highest mountain on Earth.

Katahdin's Baxter Peak — the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail

Maine · northern terminus

Appalachian Trail — 100-Mile Wilderness

The wildest, quietest hundred miles of America's longest trail.

The three Torres granite towers of Patagonia

Patagonia · Chile

Torres del Paine — the W Trek

Four days through the most theatrical mountains on Earth.

Snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro rising above the plains

Tanzania · Africa's rooftop

Kilimanjaro — Machame Route

Seven days from equatorial rainforest to Africa's highest summit.

Nepal · around the massif

Annapurna Circuit

The great circle — rice paddies to a 5,416 m pass in the Trans-Himalaya.

Fiordland · New Zealand

Milford Track

"The finest walk in the world" — four days through rainforest, alpine pass, and fiord.

Zugspitze massif rising above Alpine meadows in Bavaria

Bayern · Bavarian Alps

Bavarian Alps — Soul Days

Karwendel gorges, Zugspitze glaciers, and Königssee's cathedral of silence.

Zugspitze east face rising above the Wetterstein range

Bayern · Tirol · Wettersteingebirge

Zugspitze — Every Route to the Summit

Four publicly known paths to the top of Germany — from the classic Reintal walk-up to the Jubiläumsgrat traverse.

Türkisblauer Achensee zwischen Karwendel und Rofan

Tirol · Achensee · Karwendel & Rofan

Achensee — Tirol's Fjord Lake

Sechs Klassiker rund um Tirols größten See — vom Uferweg zur Gaisalm bis zum 5-Gipfel-Klettersteig im Rofan.

Bastei bridge arcing between sandstone pinnacles above the Elbe

Sachsen · Elbe sandstone mountains

Malerweg — Saxon Switzerland

The Painters' Way — 112 km through the sandstone dreamscape that inspired Caspar David Friedrich.

Wilder Kaiser limestone spires in Austrian Tirol

Tirol & Salzkammergut · Austrian Alps

Tirol Alpine Days

Wilder Kaiser drama, Dachstein glaciers, and the roaring Krimmler falls.

Karwendel Alps panorama along the Adlerweg

Tirol · The Eagle's Way

Adlerweg — Tirol Traverse

24 stages tracing the shape of an eagle across the Tirolean Alps.

Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau above the Bernese Oberland

Bern · Swiss Alps

Berner Oberland — Soul Days

Eiger's north face, Bachalpsee's blue mirror, and the great Aletsch glacier.

Rheinwald valley in Graubünden along the Walserweg

Graubünden · Alpine solitude

Walserweg Graubünden

300 km through the Walser villages of Switzerland's quietest Alps.

Königssee with St. Bartholomä chapel beneath the Watzmann east face

Bayern · Berchtesgadener Alpen

Berchtesgaden National Park — Cathedral of Silence

Watzmann's shadow on emerald Königssee, Wimbach's white river, and Germany's highest waterfall.

Panorama from Nebelhorn summit across the Allgäu Alps

Bayern · Allgäuer Alpen

Allgäu Alps — High Meadow Country

Cow-bell ridgelines, gentian meadows, and the wildest cirque in southern Germany.

The Rachelsee cirque lake in the Bavarian Forest

Bayern · Bayerischer Wald · Voralpenland

Bavarian Forest & Munich Foothills

Old-growth silence in Germany's oldest national park, and a ring of Munich's soul-mountains.

The Matterhorn's north-east face at dawn

Wallis · Zermatt · Matterhorn

Zermatt & the Matterhorn — Days beneath the Horn

Five mirror lakes, a glacier balcony, and the Hörnli ridge that made mountaineering.

Sefinenfurgge pass with view towards the Blüemlisalp

Schweiz · Berner Oberland · Waadtländer Alpen

Via Alpina — Swiss Alpine Pass Route

Sefinenfurgge, Hohtürli, Bunderchrinde — the classic hut-to-hut across Switzerland's spine.

Fuorcla Surlej pass with view towards the Bernina massif

Graubünden · Engadin · Val d'Anniviers

Engadin & Graubünden — Larch-light Days

Fuorcla Surlej above the Bernina, Segantini's light, and the wild solitude of the Swiss south-east.

Grossglockner and Pasterze glacier seen from Franz-Josefs-Höhe

Osttirol · Kärnten · Salzburg

Hohe Tauern & Grossglockner — Under Austria's Roof

Pasterze ice, Kalser meadows, and the long Sudetendeutscher balcony beneath Austria's highest peak.

The Schafberg rising above the Wolfgangsee

Oberösterreich · Salzburg · Steiermark

Salzkammergut — Lakes & Limestone

Schafberg's cog-rail summit, Loser's karst plateau, and the Traunstein cross above the lake.

Niederösterreich · Wienerwald

Vienna Hausberge — Rax, Schneeberg & Wienerwald

The city's own limestone plateaus — a train ride from Vienna to a summit cross.

The Feldberg summit in the southern Black Forest

Baden-Württemberg · Schwarzwald

Schwarzwald — Black Forest Heights

Feldberg summits, Wutach gorge, and the Westweg's soul-ridges above the Rheintal.

The Bremmer Calmont Moselle loop from above

Rheinland-Pfalz · Nordrhein-Westfalen · Saarland

Moselsteig · Rheinsteig · Eifelsteig — Germany's Great Steige

Vineyard balconies above the Mosel, Loreley cliffs, and Eifel maars in one soul-collection.

Harz — Germany's High North

GPX, Google Maps & Apple Maps · one calm place.

6 curated day-routes.

Brocken via Goetheweg from Torfhaus

Exceptional · Brocken via Goetheweg from Torfhaus

Map key

Bodetal — Thale to Treseburg

Exceptional · Bodetal — Thale to Treseburg

Map key

Ilsetal — Ilsenburg to Heinrichshöhe

Exceptional · Ilsetal — Ilsenburg to Heinrichshöhe

Map key

Wurmberg loop from Braunlage

Exceptional · Wurmberg loop from Braunlage

Map key

Okertal Klippenweg

Exceptional · Okertal Klippenweg

Map key

Harzer Hexen-Stieg — Osterode → Buntenbock

Exceptional · Harzer Hexen-Stieg — Osterode → Buntenbock

Map key

Stays near the trail

Hotels in Wernigerode

Stays in Goslar

Camping am Bergsee (Hahnenklee)

Walk on, gently.

Alta Via — Dolomites

Camino del Norte

West Highland Way

Kumano Kodo

Sentiers de la Loire

Picos de Europa

High Tatras

Tour du Mont Blanc

GR20 · Corsica

John Muir Trail

Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Annapurna Base Camp

Via Alpina · Green Trail

Lycian Way

Laugavegur

Camino Francés

Everest Base Camp Trek

Appalachian Trail — 100-Mile Wilderness

Torres del Paine — the W Trek

Kilimanjaro — Machame Route

Annapurna Circuit

Milford Track

Bavarian Alps — Soul Days

Zugspitze — Every Route to the Summit

Achensee — Tirol's Fjord Lake

Malerweg — Saxon Switzerland

Tirol Alpine Days

Adlerweg — Tirol Traverse

Berner Oberland — Soul Days

Walserweg Graubünden

Berchtesgaden National Park — Cathedral of Silence

Allgäu Alps — High Meadow Country

Bavarian Forest & Munich Foothills

Zermatt & the Matterhorn — Days beneath the Horn

Via Alpina — Swiss Alpine Pass Route

Engadin & Graubünden — Larch-light Days

Hohe Tauern & Grossglockner — Under Austria's Roof

Salzkammergut — Lakes & Limestone

Vienna Hausberge — Rax, Schneeberg & Wienerwald

Schwarzwald — Black Forest Heights

Moselsteig · Rheinsteig · Eifelsteig — Germany's Great Steige