The best traffic-free bike rides around Sösetalsperre

Semmelwieser Teich served as the water supply for the Rosenhöfer Zug. The dam was built in 1691 in the old construction style. With a dam height of around 7.20 m, it impounds 64,000 m of water. Below lie the Upper and Lower Rosenhöfer Kunstgraben, into which the water is directed. Source: Information board

Beautiful view of the old mining pond near Buntenbock.

Old Harz mining pond from the 17th century.

Very beautiful large pond of 8ha size, also created in the 17th century.

An engineering marvel dating from 1536 to 1866, the Upper Harz Water Management System is considered one of the Harz Mountains' greatest attractions. It encompasses all the structures built to store water and transport it to mines, some of which are located far away. It is one of the largest and most significant historical water management systems in the world of mining. The Upper Harz Water Management System includes numerous reservoirs, kilometers of water channels, and underground waterways. Source: https://www.harz-travel.de/Regionales/Harz-Sehenswuerdigkeiten-Highlights/Oberharzer-Wasserregal/

The "Grüner Hirsch" (Green Stag) silver mine, belonging to the Burgstätter mining district and once located about 400 meters west of the Mittlerer Pfauenteich (Middle Peacock Pond), began operations in August 1645. It was one of the few, not particularly productive, ore mines in this mining area. This mine would probably have long since been forgotten if the pond, built around the same time and named after it, had not soon played a crucial role in mining near Clausthal. The exact date of the pond's construction has not been recorded, but it likely occurred at the same time as work began at the "Grüner Hirsch," or at least before 1660. In any case, a comprehensive document from 1661, which has survived to the present day, already lists the "Grüner Hirsch Pond" as part of the water supply for the Burgstätter main drainage system. Source: https://www.harzlife.de/teiche/hirschler-teich.html

The Upper Nassenwieser Pond – also known as the "Upper Nassewieser Pond" – is a historic reservoir in the Upper Harz Mountains. It belongs to a complex pre-industrial water management system and is located on the northwest slope of the Kehrzug massif, about two kilometers northeast of Buntenbock. The artificial body of water owes its name to its location in what was originally a marshy and inaccessible area on the upper reaches of the Innerste River. Source: https://www.harzlife.de/teiche/oberer-nassenwieser-teich.html

The Entensumpf (Duck Pond) is a small, former mining pond in the Upper Harz Mountains. It lies in a wooded area southeast of Clausthal-Zellerfeld, about 200 meters south of Federal Highway 242. Just a few dozen meters downstream from its source, the Innerste River is dammed here for the first time. The pond was created in the 17th century as the Upper Innerste or New Benedict Pond. It served as the water supply for the Neue Benedicte ore mine, the easternmost mine in the Burgstätter mining district, which operated until 1855. A system of ditches also allowed water to be channeled into the Hirschler Pond. After mining operations ceased, the pond, now known as the Rathsteich (Council Pond), was repurposed to supply Clausthal-Zellerfeld with drinking water via a wooden aqueduct. The approximately eight-meter-high dam was constructed using traditional Upper Harz building techniques and was later modified. The Entensumpf's elongated shape is striking: while reaching a length of up to 190 meters, its maximum width is only about 45 meters. The water surface covers only 0.35 hectares. For a long time, the pond was surrounded by dense forest, but forest regeneration has transformed its appearance into a brighter, more open space. The duck pond now appears largely natural, as the dam has blended harmoniously into the landscape over the centuries. The water level fluctuates considerably with the seasons; at full capacity, the water level is approximately 603.70 meters above sea level.