Auf dem Acker
Encyclopedia
Auf dem Acker is a mountain ridge up to 865.1 metres high, which is located in the southwestern part of the Harz mountains in Lower Saxony
(Germany
).
near Stieglitzecke (on the B 242
) and runs from there for about 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) towards the southwest. For the first 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) its crest
is continuously higher than 800 metres. Its southwestern foothills transition to the Harz Foreland at Osterode am Harz
. Together with the Bruchberg, the Acker forms the Acker-Bruchberg Massif.
Northwest of the ridge lies the valley of the River Söse and the Söse Reservoir, as well as the villages of Riefensbeek and Kamschlacken. South of the ridge lie the villages of Lonau
and Sieber
. The Hanskühnenburg
lies roughly in the middle of the ridge at a height of 811 metres.
and may therefore only be entered on designated trails. Between the Hanskühnenburg and Stieglitzecke parts of the area around the crest consist of raised bog. The ridgeway
running through the moor was closed in the mid-1990s, shortly after the establishment of national park in order to protect the environment.
. From the Hanskühnenburg the ridgeway, known as the Wet Way (Nasser Weg) runs in a southwesterly direction along the crest towards Osterode. Because the ridge here is only lightly vegetated with bilberry and low pines, there are many viewing points with good views over the Harz and into the Harz Foreland. On or by the Acker are several refuge huts that have checkpoints as part of the Harzer Wandernadel
hiking network:
A stage of the Harzer Baudensteig trail runs from Lerbach over the Acker to Sieber.
.
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
(Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
).
Geography
The ridge begins south of the BruchbergBruchberg
At the Bruchberg in the Upper Harz is the second highest mountain in Lower Saxony and the third highest in the Harz mountains in North Germany. It lies between Altenau and Torfhaus in the middle of the Harz National Park. The Bruchberg is more like a plateau and has no real summit...
near Stieglitzecke (on the B 242
Bundesstraße 242
- Route :The B 242, also known as the Harz High Road , runs right across the Harz mountains in central Germany. From Seesen on the northwestern edge of the Harz near the A 7 motorway it runs through the Upper Harz past Clausthal-Zellerfeld, the High Harz, where it is combined for several kilometres...
) and runs from there for about 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) towards the southwest. For the first 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) its crest
Ridge
A ridge is a geological feature consisting of a chain of mountains or hills that form a continuous elevated crest for some distance. Ridges are usually termed hills or mountains as well, depending on size. There are several main types of ridges:...
is continuously higher than 800 metres. Its southwestern foothills transition to the Harz Foreland at Osterode am Harz
Osterode am Harz
For the town in East Prussia formerly called Osterode, see Ostróda.Osterode am Harz often simply called Osterode, is a town in south-eastern Niedersachsen on the south-western edge of the Harz mountains. It is the seat of government of the district of Osterode. The town is twinned with Scarborough,...
. Together with the Bruchberg, the Acker forms the Acker-Bruchberg Massif.
Northwest of the ridge lies the valley of the River Söse and the Söse Reservoir, as well as the villages of Riefensbeek and Kamschlacken. South of the ridge lie the villages of Lonau
Lonau
Lonau is a small village with a population of about 345 situated at an elevation of about 400m in the Harz Mountains of Northern Germany. Besides the clean air and lush forests, it is famous for the capercaillie....
and Sieber
Sieber (Herzberg am Harz)
Sieber is a village in the borough of Herzberg am Harz in the district of Osterode am Harz in South Lower Saxony .Sieber lies at a height of 340 m above sea level and has about 600 inhabitants . The settlement is spread out over a length of several kilometres in a narrow valley, running from...
. The Hanskühnenburg
Hanskühnenburg
The Hanskühnenburg is a mountain hut in the Harz mountains. It is located at a height of above sea level in fields known as Auf dem Acker, or simply Acker, in the middle of the Harz National Park and has its own observation tower...
lies roughly in the middle of the ridge at a height of 811 metres.
National Park and environment
Large sections of the ridge lie within the Harz National ParkHarz National Park
The Harz National Park is a nature reserve in the German federal states of Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. It comprises large portions of the western Harz mountain range, extending from Herzberg and Bad Lauterberg at the southern edge to Bad Harzburg and Ilsenburg on the northern slopes...
and may therefore only be entered on designated trails. Between the Hanskühnenburg and Stieglitzecke parts of the area around the crest consist of raised bog. The ridgeway
Ridgeway
A ridgeway is a road or path that follows a ridge, or the highest part of the landscape.-Roads and pathways:*The Ridgeway, an ancient track in southern England, which now forms part of the Ridgeway Path or National Trail...
running through the moor was closed in the mid-1990s, shortly after the establishment of national park in order to protect the environment.
Crags and rocks
There is a large number of crags and rock formations on Auf dem Acker:- Sösestein Coordinates: 51.7665°N 10.4523°E
- Hammersteinklippen Coordinates: 51.7667°N 10.4503°E
- Mönchskappenklippe Coordinates: 51.7470°N 10.4626°E
- Goldenkerklippe Coordinates: 51.7338°N 10.4224°E
- Stollenklippe Coordinates: 51.7274°N 10.4153°E
- Hanskühnenburgklippe (on the crest, roughly 818 m high, see HanskühnenburgHanskühnenburgThe Hanskühnenburg is a mountain hut in the Harz mountains. It is located at a height of above sea level in fields known as Auf dem Acker, or simply Acker, in the middle of the Harz National Park and has its own observation tower...
) Coordinates: 51.7300°N 10.4064°E - Hanskühnenburgfelsen (on the crest directly in front of the Hanskühnenburg, roughly 815 m high, see HanskühnenburgHanskühnenburgThe Hanskühnenburg is a mountain hut in the Harz mountains. It is located at a height of above sea level in fields known as Auf dem Acker, or simply Acker, in the middle of the Harz National Park and has its own observation tower...
) Coordinates: 51.7279°N 10.4036°E - Kanapeeklippe Coordinates: 51.7263°N 10.3961°E
- Seilerklippe (on the crest, roughly 760 m high) Coordinates: 51.7213°N 10.3838°E
- Sophienklippe Coordinates: 51.7156°N 10.3644°E
- Spießerklippe Coordinates: 51.7142°N 10.3585°E
Walking
At the northeastern end of the ridge near Stieglitzecke is the Magdeburg Hut (Magdeburger Hütte), a refuge hut, and a large car park. From here two trails lead up the Acker; they are described in more detail in the article on the HanskühnenburgHanskühnenburg
The Hanskühnenburg is a mountain hut in the Harz mountains. It is located at a height of above sea level in fields known as Auf dem Acker, or simply Acker, in the middle of the Harz National Park and has its own observation tower...
. From the Hanskühnenburg the ridgeway, known as the Wet Way (Nasser Weg) runs in a southwesterly direction along the crest towards Osterode. Because the ridge here is only lightly vegetated with bilberry and low pines, there are many viewing points with good views over the Harz and into the Harz Foreland. On or by the Acker are several refuge huts that have checkpoints as part of the Harzer Wandernadel
Harzer Wandernadel
The Harzer Wandernadel is a network of checkpoints for walkers in the Harz mountains in North Germany. It includes a system whereby the hiker can earn badges at different levels by walking to the various checkpoints in the network and recording them...
hiking network:
- Morgenbrodtshütte am Großen Wehr - no. 146.
- Waidmannsruhe hut - no. 148.
- HanskühnenburgHanskühnenburgThe Hanskühnenburg is a mountain hut in the Harz mountains. It is located at a height of above sea level in fields known as Auf dem Acker, or simply Acker, in the middle of the Harz National Park and has its own observation tower...
- no. 144. - Köte am Schindelkopf hut - no. 143
A stage of the Harzer Baudensteig trail runs from Lerbach over the Acker to Sieber.
Origin of the Name
In various sources it is maintained that the name Acker is derived from the Middle High German word Agger which means "crest" or "embankment". However, there is no definite source for this theory. On the other hadn Agger is a Latin word and means "earth embankment", see AggerAgger
An agger is an ancient Roman embankment or rampart, or any artificial elevation. It is a Latin word.It is especially used for the raised and cambered embankment carrying a Roman road...
.
Sources
- Topographische Karte 1:25000, Nr. 4228 Riefensbeek (enthält den größten Teil des Bergrückens)
- Topographische Karte 1:25000, Nr. 4227 Osterode am Harz (enthält die südwestlichen Ausläufer)
External links
- Auf dem Acker at harzlife.de
- Der Acker at harz-seite.de
- Morgenbrodtshütte am Großen Wehr
- Description of the Hammerstein Crags by the Lower Saxon State Office for Soil Research (pdf, 383kB)