Scharfenstein (Harz)
Encyclopedia
The Scharfenstein today is a park ranger station with self-catering facilities in the Harz National Park
in Germany and is sited below the 698 m high Scharfenstein Crag (Scharfensteinklippe) in the Harz mountains between Ilsenburg
and Bad Harzburg
and the Brocken near the Ecker Dam
. It has particularly good views of the Brocken, Torfhaus
and the Ecker Reservoir.
At the Scharfenstein there was once a cattle farmhouse which had been managed in 1816 from Stapelburg
. Around 1875 this forest house evolved into a popular resting place and stop for walkers going to the Brocken. Because of its location near the border of Lower Saxony
the first wooden barracks
was built here in 1955. The old forester's lodge was demolished in 1960 and, in 1969, a new barracks was built for the East German border troops
. This, in turn, fell victim to the demolition ball in 1999 and the area was renaturalised as part of the National Park. In 2002 the present park ranger station with two log cabins was opened roughly where the former barracks had been.
The Scharfenstein ranger station is part of the system of checkpoints (No. 2) in the Harzer Wandernadel
walking trail network.
and it is forbidden to leave the paths.
51°49′56"N 10°36′03"E
Harz 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...
in Germany and is sited below the 698 m high Scharfenstein Crag (Scharfensteinklippe) in the Harz mountains between Ilsenburg
Ilsenburg
Ilsenburg is a town in the district of Harz, in Saxony-Anhalt in Germany. It is situated under the north foot of the Harz Mountains, at the entrance to the Ilsetal valley of the small Ilse river, a tributary of the Oker, about six north-west of the town of Wernigerode. It received town privileges...
and Bad Harzburg
Bad Harzburg
Bad Harzburg is a town in central Germany, in the Goslar district of Lower Saxony. It lies on the northern edge of the Harz mountains and is a recognised saltwater spa and climatic health resort.- Location :...
and the Brocken near the Ecker Dam
Ecker Dam
The Ecker Dam is a dam near Bad Harzburg in the Harz mountains of Germany that went into service in 1942. It impounds primarily the waters of the river Ecker....
. It has particularly good views of the Brocken, Torfhaus
Torfhaus
Torfhaus is a village in the borough of the mining town of Altenau in the Harz mountains of Germany and lies at a height of about .This small settlement consists mainly of restaurants, youth hostels, ski huts and large car parks. It is the highest settlement in Lower Saxony...
and the Ecker Reservoir.
History
Its name is descriptive and comes from the German scharfer/spitzer ("sharp", "pointed") or schroffer ("rugged", "craggy") and Stein ("stone"). The Scharfenstein's appearance as a solid, rocky crag is particularly evident when viewed from the south, for example, from the Ecker Reservoir.At the Scharfenstein there was once a cattle farmhouse which had been managed in 1816 from Stapelburg
Stapelburg
Stapelburg is a village and a former municipality in the district of Harz, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2010, it is part of the municipality Nordharz....
. Around 1875 this forest house evolved into a popular resting place and stop for walkers going to the Brocken. Because of its location near the border of Lower Saxony
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...
the first wooden barracks
Barracks
Barracks are specialised buildings for permanent military accommodation; the word may apply to separate housing blocks or to complete complexes. Their main object is to separate soldiers from the civilian population and reinforce discipline, training and esprit de corps. They were sometimes called...
was built here in 1955. The old forester's lodge was demolished in 1960 and, in 1969, a new barracks was built for the East German border troops
Border Troops of the German Democratic Republic
The Border Troops of the German Democratic Republic, in German Grenztruppen der DDR, were a military force of the GDR and the primary force guarding the Berlin Wall and the border between East and West Germany. The Border Troops numbered at their peak approximately 47,000 troops...
. This, in turn, fell victim to the demolition ball in 1999 and the area was renaturalised as part of the National Park. In 2002 the present park ranger station with two log cabins was opened roughly where the former barracks had been.
The Scharfenstein ranger station is part of the system of checkpoints (No. 2) in 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...
walking trail network.
Path to the summit of the Scharfenstein Crag
Immediately next to the ranger station, a narrow signposted path leads to the summit after 15 minutes walk. The same route must be used on the way down, because it is in the middle of 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 it is forbidden to leave the paths.
51°49′56"N 10°36′03"E