Ith

Ith
Overview map: The Ith and Hils in the centre
Highest point
Peak	Lauensteiner Kopf
Elevation	439 m (1,440 ft)
Dimensions
Length	22 km (14 mi)
Geography
Country	Germany
State	Lower Saxony
Range coordinates	52°03′N 9°34′E / 52.05°N 9.57°E / 52.05; 9.57Coordinates: 52°03′N 9°34′E / 52.05°N 9.57°E / 52.05; 9.57
Parent range	Leine Uplands
Geology
Age of rock	Upper Jurassic
Type of rock	Limestone

The Ith is a ridge in Germany's Central Uplands which is up to 439 m high. It lies about 40 km southwest of Hanover and, at 22 kilometres, is the longest line of crags in North Germany.

The Ith is immediately northwest of the Hils ridge in the Leine Uplands. It runs in a northwest-southeast direction from Coppenbrügge in the north to Holzen in the south. The highest elevation on this forested knife-edge ridge is the Lauensteiner Kopf at 439 m above NN which has an observation tower, the Ithturm, and is located in the northern half of the Ith, the so-called Krüllbrink, between the villages of Bisperode and Lauenstein.

The streams on the Ith flow west via the Ilse, Remte and Lenne into the Weser or east via the Saale into the Leine.

The Ith is crossed by two roads: in the north by the L 425 between Haus Harderode and Lauenstein over the Lauenstein Pass, and in the south by the B 240 between Lüerdissen and Capellenhagen over the Holzener Pass.

The highest hill on the densely forested Ith is the Lauensteiner Kopf at 439 m above NN. It is located in the Krüllbrink, the name of the northern part of the Ith and has an observation tower, the Ith Tower.

This hill, together with other summits, crags and foothills of the Ith are given below in order of their height in metres (m) above Normalnull (NN unless stated otherwise):

The Ith is a popular destination especially for hikers, climbers and glider pilots. The ridgeway draws many walkers especially in the springtime, when trees and flowers are blossoming, due to the distinctive stands of Wood Anemone and Bulbous Corydalis. There are several well-signed footpaths on the Ith heights. The section from Bisperode to Holzen of European walking route E11 runs along the crest of the Ith.