Kamschlacken has two clearly distinct sides: east of the village are rocky cliffs and scree slopes; the Christuskapelle Riefensbeek-Kamschlacken opens up views of the Sösetal landscape through its window wall. There are also trails to several cliffs, circular hikes with different routes, and a 60-kilometre route whose longer sections are well suited to cycling. If you would like to explore nature, trails and local history as distinct themes, you will find specific starting points here.
Rocky landscape east of Kamschlacken
The rocky cliffs east of Kamschlacken are impressive witnesses to the recent geological past. Hard greywacke and quartzite layers formed tall, steep cliffs during the permafrost conditions of the ice age. Scree slopes also lie alongside these rock formations. The types of rock and the conditions under which they formed provide a clear geological context for the cliffs. For travellers who enjoy exploring landscapes through their shapes and origins, this offers a starting point for learning about the history of the Earth.
Hikes with different routes
Kamschlacken outdoor pool is an important landmark for a hike taking in several named rock formations. A hiking trail leads there; from the pool, Allerklippen, Wolfsklippen, Siebenwochenklippen and Ifenklippen can be linked into a circular hike. The Allertal Riefensbeek-Kamschlacken hiking route also leads to the outdoor pool. The routes differ: the loop starting at the pool connects four cliffs, while the Allertal route leads to the pool. If your main aim is to link the cliffs in a loop, this distinction can help you choose.
Another circular hike is the BaudenSteig Circular Trail No. 3. It runs from Riefensbeek to the Hanskühnenburg National Park forest restaurant and returns to Riefensbeek via the Sösetal reservoir. This loop therefore has different waypoints from the hike starting at the outdoor pool: here, Hanskühnenburg and the reservoir are part of the route, and Riefensbeek is both the starting point and the return point. Trail conditions can vary by season; check them before setting out on a specific hike.
The 60-kilometre Harzer Försterstieg runs from the historic imperial city of Goslar to the mountain village of Riefensbeek-Kamschlacken. Information boards and small points of interest are located along the entire route. Longer sections are well suited to cycling. This cycling option applies to longer parts of the trail, not necessarily the entire route. Compared with the circular hikes, the Försterstieg is a longer connection between Goslar and Riefensbeek-Kamschlacken.
Chapel and local history
Kamschlacken was first mentioned in an official document in 1460. The Christuskapelle Riefensbeek-Kamschlacken was consecrated on the third Sunday of Advent in 1966. It faces west and is designed in the shape of a tent; its altar wall consists entirely of a window wall that opens up views of the Sösetal landscape. The chapel’s tent shape, orientation and window wall together define its architecture. The window wall forms the entire altar wall, connecting the design of the interior with views of the surrounding landscape. The two dates mark different points in history: 1460 for Kamschlacken’s first documentary mention, and 1966 for the chapel’s consecration.
For the wider travel overview: Riefensbeek-Kamschlacken.
