Along the Harz border trail through the Eckertal valley - hiking along the Green Belt

Since the Harz Mountains are no longer divided, you can experience them in a completely different way, both historically and geologically. Today we delved deep into history again and walked along part of the old border between the former GDR and the Federal Republic. Today, only the state border between Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt remains. In the area near the border, the GDR did not practice any forestry (there were no spruce monocultures), so you can hike through wonderful floodplain forests here. I personally found the so-called Jungborn Bath very appealing. Essentially, the same things were practiced and taught here as are known from Monte Verita in Ascona. I photographed the small air baths where people stayed. Unfortunately, the entire beautiful old complex was torn down in the 1960s. Today, a hotel like this would certainly have cult status. It's also interesting that the Luvos healing clay company had its beginnings here. I've always been a bit of a fan of using healing clay, but this spring, our trip to Morocco proved me wrong. There, the use of healing clay is common practice, especially in cosmetics, and in my opinion, it offers a legitimate alternative to, for example, conventional surfactants.

How good that the wall fell. The Harzer Genzweg is a beautiful hiking trail along the former border and the Ecker river, natural and in the expectation of green with lots of foliage, currently a true wild garlic paradise. Passing the Jungborn sanatorium, we follow the path over the Besenbinderstieg in the direction of Ilsenburg. We have a good view of the Brocken from our rest area. The way back is via the Ilsenburger Stieg into the Eckertal.

Nice hike through the forest. forest paths, etc. right on the corner. This tour is recommended.

It was a beautiful tour steeped in history along the wonderful and natural single trails on the Ecker. The Besenbindersteig is a beautiful single trail, I recommend hiking the climb from Ilsenburg. A short section of this trail has been relocated with wind damage from the last hurricane. There was some climbing announced. On the way, relics of the latter German past were found again and again.

At the beginning of October I think back to 1989. This path runs on the (now historic) border between the GDR and the FRG. Very interesting tour, just a steeper section. We also saw a slowworm! At the end you can visit a nice courtyard café.