Get to know Neuwerk through two very different details: Grasedanz, the tradition associated with the hay harvest, and the Krockstein viewpoint above the village. The former school building also has a bulb-shaped little tower. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Neuwerk, these cultural and landscape themes can provide a backdrop for planning your trip; other places are part of the broader Oberharz am Brocken travel destination.
Grasedanz and Neuwerk’s townscape
In the broader Oberharz am Brocken travel destination, Grasedanz is a living tradition in Neuwerk and Hüttenrode. The festival celebrates the hay harvest, with women taking centre stage. Women started the festival more than 100 years ago to recognise their work. The celebrations last a weekend. They include birch trees decorated at house entrances, flower baskets carried to the festival site by young women, a festival site adorned with flower garlands, and the drawing of a Grasekönigin (Grass Queen). The connection to the harvest is thus evident not only in the festival’s theme, but also in the weekend’s described features.
In Neuwerk, the former school building is considered the village’s most impressive building. Its bulb-shaped little tower gives the building a distinctive architectural detail. Together with Grasedanz, it offers a second, architectural perspective on the village’s history.
Views and hiking times
The Krockstein viewpoint lies above Neuwerk and offers views as far as the Brocken and the Wurmberg. In the broader Oberharz am Brocken travel destination, a moderately difficult hike through mixed forest leads to Krockstein. The route is 2.8 kilometres long; the stated walking time is 55 minutes. Check current trail conditions before setting off.
Another moderately difficult route in the Oberharz am Brocken is the loop around the Hasselvorsperre near Hasselfelde: it is 5.5 kilometres long, with a stated duration of 1 hour 28 minutes. This makes it possible to compare two specific route profiles. Both routes are rated moderately difficult, while the loop around the Hasselvorsperre is longer and also has a longer stated walking time.
More cultural and nature themes in the Oberharz am Brocken
From early April to the end of October, traditional earth kilns are built, fired and harvested at the Harzköhlerei Stemberghaus. This offers a chance to experience the ancient charcoal-burning craft in action. In Hasselfelde, an extensive network of hiking trails includes the Harzer-Hexen-Stieg, nature trails and the Köhlerweg. The trails provide access on foot to local sights and places to visit.
The museums in Hasselfelde also focus on different subjects. The charcoal-burning museum gives an impression of the difficult working and living conditions of charcoal burners. In the Haus des Gastes, the Blumenau Museum presents the life and work of chemist and emigrant Hermann Blumenau in images and text. The local history room there tells the story of the village and of the lives and work of its residents. Ask the tourist information office about the local history room’s opening hours.
The broader travel destination offers further examples of architecture: St. Antonius Church in Hasselfelde is a three-aisled Gothic basilica. The Stiege stave church is considered the only religious building in Germany in the Norwegian dragon style. Stiege is also home to the Selketalbahn turning loop, described as Europe’s smallest turning loop. Stiege Lake lies in the middle of the village, surrounded by green meadows and forests.
From Hasselfelde, you can travel daily on the Harz narrow-gauge railway to the Brocken or into the Selke Valley. Check the current timetable before travelling. The Rübeland stalactite caves are right in the centre of Rübeland. These regional destinations add further cultural, landscape and transport themes to the picture of Neuwerk, without requiring you to plan a specific day trip.
Discover more destinations: Benneckenstein, Elend, Rübeland, Sorge, Hasselfelde, Stiege, Trautenstein, Elbingerode.
Go to the broader travel overview: Oberharz Am Brocken.
