Kalbe (Meißner)

View from the calving after Berkatal - Frankershausen in picture center

The calf is a 719.5 m above sea level. NN high basalt knoll on the Hoher Meissner in the Werra- Meißner-Kreis, North East part of northern Hesse ( Germany ).

Geographical location

The little wooded hilltop of calving is located in the eastern part of the mighty massif Hoher Meißner in the nature park Meissner Kaufunger forest. It rises about 2.5 kilometers west of Meissner Vockerode, the above with an average of 290 m. NN 430 m is lower, or about 400 m (distances each distance) south-southeast of Mother Hulda pond.

Former mining

In a few hundred meters southwest of the calving - knoll located " mining calving " was sponsored from 1949 to 1974 above ground lignite, which is still visible remains at the site of the former opencast mine. (1977 prevented the campaign "Save the Meissner " with a large participation of the population, the resumption of the open pit. ) After the pumps were turned off, formed in the opencast mine, its quite evenly graded and high basalt walls are impressive, the maximum around 30 m deep and about 20,000 m² " Kalbesee ", which was created by the inflow of ground water, surface water and rain water.

To lay the mighty, 30 to 50 m thick coal seam -free, the above overlapping masses of basalt had to be cut. The overburden was poured around the open pit, and on the mountain slopes. At the Halden thereby incurred, which are easily seen on the slopes of calving, the basalt boulders pile up stepwise.

The basalt pile that covered the slope of the calf down to Mother Hulda pond, however, does not consist of tailings from the mine, but is a so-called block heap, as well as elsewhere in the Meissner, eg behind the sea stones are found. The block heap before calving is the residue of a cooled lava flow that has received due to weather its current form and has still not colonized by vegetation.

Collapse of the calving

In the coal mine, there was 1964 at the calf into a unique event. The famous Meißnerspitze threatened to collapse. The miners took up a temporary solution: Using thick stone blocks and 2 cm thick ropes the calf should be noted. After four months, broke the steel cables and the stone blocks plunge into the depths. The fears, the calving would collapse, but are not confirmed. Today you can still see on the calving some of the stone blocks and a piece of one of the cables.

Viewpoint

The peak of calving is a good vantage point to the northeast, among other things Vockerode, Frankershausen and the Werra valley across to the resin. A little below the summit allows a further view point Bilck the southeast to the Thuringian Forest and the Rhön.

Transport links

The calf can of Meissner Vockerode coming - on the steeply rising country road in 3241 and Schwalbental north to the "L 3242 " toward Kammerbach (western district of Allendorf ) abbiegend - be approached. It does not lead directly to the summit; this is by hiking parking in the area, for example, on Mother Hulda pond, walking distance.

Notes and References

• Mountain in Europe
• Mountain in Hesse
• Mountain under 1000 meters
• Mountain in the Werra- Meißner-Kreis
• Braunkohletagebau