Farmer's ditch (episodic lake) (HWN 213)

Nice rest area and stamping point for the Harz hiking pin. Impressive when you have seen both variants (filled and empty lake)! Accessible via part of the Karst hiking trail.

The Bauerngraben is a depression that is about 400 m long in a west-east direction and about 150 m wide in a north-south direction. A lake forms here every now and then. This is why it is also called periodic lake, episodic lake, glass lake or hunger lake. But since the appearance of the lake is completely irregular and not tied to predictable periods, it is better to speak of a temporary or episodic lake. Depending on the level of vegetation, the meanders of the Glasebach can be seen in the depression during a drought. He loses himself underground at the west end. We are dealing with the karst phenomenon of a so-called creek swamp. There are at least 50 such creek swales in the sulphate karst of the southern Harz Mountains. Here, however, there are repeated relocations of the outflow in the subterranean outflow area, so that the backwater of the Glasebach then leads to the formation of a lake.
Regardless of the presence of a lake, this is a lovely tranquil spot, also very picturesque due to the 60 meter high rocky embankments of the valley to the south.

I thought it was really nice here (unlike other writers here). The lake was not a lake when I visited ;-) but I could enjoy nature and the silence very much. The way here is just beautiful too! Hope to see a filled lake next time :-)