The best MTB trails around Sösetalsperre

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

beautiful lake in the spa park of the idyllic town

Attention. The circuit around the Bärenteich is not possible and inevitably ends in a moor.

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/

From 1767 onwards, the Hutthaler Widerwaage (Hutthal Weir) connected the Hirschler Pond to other ponds and water transport systems in a way that was unprecedented at the time. The starting point for all considerations was the need to supply this very high-altitude pond with as much water as possible. The Hirschler Pond was of vital importance to the Caroline ore mine, which was also situated at a very high altitude and was particularly productive. To supply this mine with sufficient water power, the miners painstakingly created a unique water network over many years, initially unsure whether it would actually fulfill its intended purpose. Source: https://www.harzlife.de/teiche/wasserwanderweg-hutthaler-widerwaage.html

The Bärenbrucher Teich (Bärenbruch Pond) is a reservoir near Buntenbock belonging to the Upper Harz Water Management System, and its history can be traced back to the 17th century. Today, the Bärenbrucher Teich operates as an overflow reservoir, meaning that the inflowing water flows over the spillway into the Ziegenberger Teich (Ziegenberg Pond). The stamp box is located in the shelter at the dam. Source: https://www.harzer-wandernadel.de/stempelstellen/uebersichtskarte/stempelstelle-137-baerenbrucher-teich/

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.

Great structure for distributing the dammed water