Riding E-bike to the Sösetalsperre near Osterode

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Once again, the glorious sunshine lured us onto our bikes and the decision was quickly made to drive down to the Sösetalsperre and circle it today.

A small consumption package was quickly packed, the thermos filled with tea and shortly afterwards we were able to start. The starting point of our tour was again the Prahljust campsite, where we had set up our project caravan.

From Camping Prahljust to the Sösetalsperre

From the campsite, we first walked about 600 meters in the direction of the main road, but then immediately turned right onto the forest path in the direction of the Ziegenberger pond to the Herzhausen boathouse, with our view mainly directed towards the pond.

A little later the Bärenbrucher Teich, then on to the Brocken and Torfhausblick vantage point to the Mangelhalber Tor, already enjoying the wonderful view on the way, where there is a small rest area that we also use for a first hot tea.
Various cycling and hiking trails fork here, whereby we decide to go down past the Bärenhütte (partly very steep route).

From now on, the navigation helps a lot, because it gets a bit confusing, so we intuitively follow a stream that will certainly bring its water to the dam.

And that's right, because a little later we have reached the L294, which we have to follow for about 300 meters to the Sösetalsperre car park.

We deliberately did not choose the direct route down to the dam, as we also want to explore the cycle path network.

Sösetalsperre for drinking water supply and flood protection

The parking lot at the Sösetalsperre was well frequented again today, especially by motorcyclists who love the winding roads of the Harz Mountains.

We quickly decided to take another break on the dam of the barrage, using the snacks we had brought and our still hot tea to do some research on the dam.

The Sösetalsperre was built as the first dam of the Harzwasserwerke in the years 1928 to 1931 on the Söse and is used for drinking water supply, flood protection, low water elevation and power generation.

The construction of the dam at that time cost 14.7 million Reichsmarks.

The operators are the Harzwasserwerke. In 1933 the construction of a long-distance water pipeline from the Sösetalsperre began, the northern branch of which extends to Bremen.

Today, cities and municipalities in the Hildesheim and Hanover area are more likely to be supplied. Since 1980, the city of Göttingen has also received drinking water from the dam.
The dam itself is a simple earthen dam with a central concrete core and clay seal.

The hydroelectric power plant, which serves to cover peak loads, has an output of 1.44 MW and an annual working capacity of 3.10 GWh.

The flood relief system (overflow) is placed at the southern transition from the dam to the slope.

The dam also has a fore dam, which has a 350 m long and 18 m high dam and a storage capacity of 0.75 million m³.

Particles that may be in the inlet should settle in the pre-dam.

There is also a compensating reservoir below the main dam with a 10 m high dam, which is intended to even out any irregular release of water from the dam into the downstream due to the operation of the dam, power plant and waterworks.
Fishing and hiking are possible.

The circular hiking trail is 9 km long.

There used to be an excursion restaurant on the main dam wall, but this has now been demolished.

A campsite located at the post-closure was abandoned around 2006 and has now been largely renatured.

The Sösetalsperre is a mixed water body with brown and lake trout, grayling, pike, zander, perch, carp, tench and whitefish.

Because of its capital pike and perch, it is one of the best predatory fish waters in Lower Saxony.

Return to the Prahljust campsite near Clausthal-Zellerfeld

As mentioned at the beginning, we wanted to circle the Sösetalsperre and then take a different route back to the campsite, knowing full well that we still had a big climb ahead of us.

On the way there were some impressive vantage points until we reached the much smaller dam with a small reservoir and crossing bridge over the eponymous river Söse. Again, a short stopover, not least the realization of the lack of rain, since the Sösetalsperre was only half full.

A little later we went on the more well-known forest path along the Große Limpig uphill to the Brautbrunnen and then on to the campsite, a tour of about 48 kilometres, because we had deliberately accepted a few more curves.
Definitely recommended if you feel fit enough.

Please read as well:

With the e-bike from Camping Prahljust to Goslar

Day trip to Lychnidos - today called Ohrid

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