Elopement Inspiration: Postcard from Mount Brocken

Germany is well known for its magical castles and whimsical forests. German fairytales are full of mythical creatures and big adventures, some of them hiding in their wild mountains. On our hunt for wonderful places to elope in Germany, we found an absolute gem! We would like to take you on a little adventure and show you one of our favourite mythical places: Mount Brocken. 

Let’s get to the hard facts first: Located in the highland area of Harz, Mount Broken is the highest summit in the region with an elevation of 1,141.1 metres (3,744 ft) above sea level . It is a wonderful place to hike in summer and winter. During the colder months, its summit is fully covered in snow, turning the whole place into an exciting winter wonderland. When the sun slowly wakes up the vegetation, weaving paths lead through the peak, allowing for a wonderful view of the surrounding valley. If snow is your element, we think you’ll love Mount Brocken. Think of heavy branches creaking under the weight of sparkling snow and quiet snowfields as far as you can see.

For all the history nerds: A little intro into the recent history of Mount Brocken

Mount Broken takes a big part in recent German history. On 17 April 1945, the United States Army Air Forces flew a bomb attack against Germany and destroyed the Brocken Hotel and the weather station, while its television tower somehow survived. Between 1945 and 1947, Mount Brocken was then occupied by the Americans. However, it became Soviet occupation zone. 

The turmoil of the war left behind the ruins of the Brocken hotel which were destroyed in 1949. Between 1948 and 1959, the Brocken was accessible for tourists again who were required to apply for a pass to enter. This episode ended in 1961 when the area was declared exclusive to the military and public access was denied. Its summit was dominated by military installations.

After the German reunification, border security and military installations slowly got reduced. The Brocken was very briefly open to the public during a demonstration walk in December 1989 and fully free of Russion military from 1994. What followed was a costly long process of renaturalization that turned the Brocken into the popular tourist destination it is today. Hikers love it particularly for the Goethe Way, a trail named after famous German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe who walked this path himself back in 1777.

A camp in the snow - my journey on Mount Brocken 

I visited the Brocken in January when winter was in full bloom. It was freezing cold, -12 degrees but the weather forecast promised sunshine and heaps of new snow, so I was incredibly excited to be outside! We packed for 2 nights to stay outside in an outdoor camp right at the foot of the mountain. What a big adventure! 

We arrived midday, the sun was glistening and our hearts felt full. We hiked for some hours through this absolute fairytale landscape: The fresh snow had turned everything into a glittering winter wonderland and we were in absolute awe!

Building a camp 

To stay secluded, we built our campe hidden away from the paths, somewhere in the middle of the forest. When building an outdoor camp, it is most important to stay warm. Therefore, the beds needed to be raised from the floor. We built a shelter around our bed by using a tarp.  But even with our multiple layers and all the warm stuff that we brought, it was still freezing cold. We rushed some snacks down and went straight into our sleeping bags to warm up for the night. As much as we were excited for the next day, the long cold night was still ahead of us! 

However, we survived well and woke up refreshed and keen for the day. A little bad surprise was waiting though: Our shoes were solid frozen the next morning and I really didn’t want to put my feet into them…! 

Hiking up to the summit

We packed our little bags for the day and started our hike. As soon as we began to walk, we got warm again, such an incredible feeling! Again, we walked through a winter wonderland straight out of a fairytale. Our first stop was a huge dam which back in the day marked the border between the East and the West. The views around the lake were absolutely breathtaking. I made a lovely discovery: On the way towards the peak, there are beautiful spots with fireplaces and little huts, an awesome spot for an intimate and very special elopement! We continued our way towards the peak and the intensity of the snow increased. Our way brought us over some wonderful big fields. I bet they are absolutely stunning in summer, the perfect place to host a wedding picnic with your friends, right under the shade of a big tree!

At the top, the trees were covered in snow and looked like mysterious creatures waiting for you. As soon as you left the path, you sank at least knee deep into the snow, what a fun game! Many people up there were doing winter sports like snowboarding and skiing. The peak allows for a beautiful round view over the whole area and you can spot the old weather station.

Sunset lake - my favourite elopement spot on the trip! 

For sunset we headed back to our camp and reached the lake for an epic sunset. Secretly, this lake is my absolute favourite place for an elopement. The view was stunning and the overall area is absolutely lovely. With the sun gone, we got cold pretty quickly and tried to make a fire - not so easy at -12 degrees! The second night wasn’t as comfortable as the first one. A cold breeze kept us awake for some time. This time, we hid our shoes under the sleeping bags and found them not to be frozen in the morning. What a success! We made coffee, removed our traces as well as we could, and made our way back home. 

The landscape was my absolute highlight. Mount Brocken is an absolutely wonderful and incredible place to hike! I will be back in summer but this winter wonderland was really extraordinary.
What do you think?

↠ Thijsiena