Osterode am Harz lies on the south-western edge of the Harz mountains, at the point where the hills flatten out into the fields of southern Lower Saxony. It is a practical, friendly town of about twenty thousand people, with fuel, supermarkets and several places to eat, a sensible spot to refuel the bike and yourself.
The Harz was Germany's great mining country, and the evidence is everywhere. Silver, copper, lead and iron were dug here for centuries, and a clever system of ponds, ditches and tunnels was built to power the mine pumps with water, a network that UNESCO recognised in 2010. Osterode was never a mining town on the scale of Clausthal or Goslar, but it was a trading and processing centre, and the old timber houses recall that prosperity. The Söse river runs through town, and a reservoir in the hills above supplies drinking water.
The riding in this corner of the Harz is excellent. From Osterode, the roads climb in tight, shaded bends through spruce forest, with the road surface generally in good shape and the traffic light on weekdays. The ride to Bad Lauterberg and Herzberg runs along the southern edge, with gentle curves and views across to the Thuringian hills, while a short ride north reaches the high Harz plateau with its cool, misty air. The Harz suffers from bark beetle damage, and large areas of dead spruce are slowly being replaced with mixed woodland, so you will see bare slopes and fresh planting.
Local food is hearty: Harzer Käse, a sharp sour-milk cheese, and wurst, with a cold beer. Herzberg am Harz, ten kilometres away, has a castle and a quiet old centre, and is where the little Sieber stream comes down to the plain. This stop is a good end to a day in the hills, with a short, easy ride to the plain and a bed for the night. Spring and early autumn are the best seasons for the Harz roads, when the air is clear and the crowds thin.