A few weeks ago I finally visited a good friend of mine who lives near the Harz National Park in north Germany. I heard many stories and saw numerous photos of what many claim to be one of the most beautiful national parks of the country. It was going to be a adventure packed weekend full of mountain biking, hiking and trail running. But the hike to watch the sunset at the top of the highest mountain in the park was probably the highlight of the trip. Brocken sits gently at 1.142 meters above sea level. It is not the most good looking mountain in the world but it’s a beautiful hike to reach the top. There are many routes to follow but we decided to depart from Ilsenburg on the east side of the Harz Mountains.