... is the highest mountain in the Harz range, and the highest in Northern Germany. But to describe it as one of the highest mountains in Germany is overstating its case. There are many higher mountains in the Bavarian Alps – the Wetterstein, the Berchtesgaden Alps and the Allgäu Alps. Wikipedia lists the thirty highest mountains in Germany, starting with the Zugspitze at 2,962 metres. Thirtieth on the list is the Krottenspitze – 2,551 metres, compared to the Brocken's 1,152 metres. (To put a British perspective on this: Ben Nevis is 1,345 metres, Snowdon is 1,085 metres, and Scafell Pike is 978 metres.)
Among mountaineers, the Brocken is famous for the Brocken Spectre: an optical illusion where the observer's shadow, cast upon clouds, appears to be greatly magnified. The frequent fogs and low-altitude accessibility of the Brocken have led to local legends that give the phenomenon its name, but it can be observed anywhere when the observer is looking down into mist or fog with the sun behind them.
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