Travel report: Cycling vacation in Schleswig-Holstein

Cycling vacation in Schleswig-Holstein

A few months ago, I had bought a new bike and so I had the idea of spending my next vacation on a bike. I hadn't yet done a multi-day tour on a bike, so after a short search I found Radwege-Reisen. Browsing the site confirmed my decision and so I booked a week's cycling vacation in Schleswig-Holstein. The booking was done quickly – and I received the documents for the trip before paying the full travel price. The "tour book" was very attractively designed and informative – a great introduction to the upcoming trip. I knew that I wanted to do the trip on my own bike, so I booked a train connection as soon as I received the booking confirmation. This is very advisable, as the bicycle parking spaces are quickly fully booked. Traveling by bike on the train goes quite well, even if stowing and removing the bikes in the cramped bike compartments was the most adventurous part of the trip...

Day 1: Arrival

Hotel: Raphael Hotel Wälderhaus, HH-Wilhelmsburg

A nice hotel with an adjoining forest information center and a great park nearby. Located in the middle of a relatively new residential area and about a 5-minute walk from Wilhelmsburg S-Bahn station. The rooms are named after different types of trees and are furnished with lots of wood. The room and bathroom are very clean, but the joints in the shower were already covered in mildew stains and limescale. That was less pleasant. Bicycles can be stored in an adjacent shed - but without charging facilities. The battery must therefore be removed for charging. The breakfast buffet is varied and delicious. I had booked an extra night, so I went to see the harbor and a musical on my first "real" day.

Day 2: Hamburg – Glückstadt

Around half past eight in the morning, I dropped my suitcase off at reception and set off on the first stage. Thanks to the route guidance in Komoot, it wasn't too tricky - only the fish market, which was still running, had to be "circumnavigated". The ride through the Old Elbe Tunnel was definitely an experience before heading out of the city towards Blankenese. I then cycled along the Elbe towards Glücksstadt: a great and very varied route. After leaving Hamburg behind me, I cycled along the dyke through a beautiful nature reserve, always accompanied by the flocks of sheep that keep the dyke in order. I quickly had to give up on the initial attempt to avoid the sheep's droppings - there was just too much "biomass". So eyes closed and through. On the dyke, I occasionally had a chat with other cyclists and a little side trip to a lookout tower was also worthwhile - and of course I couldn't miss a fish sandwich on the way. I reached Glückstadt in the early afternoon. I went for a short walk on the dyke and took the ferry across the Elbe and back. The town itself was relatively easy to explore, but well worth seeing. It was built on the drawing board, so the central streets branch off from the market square

Hotel: Anno 1617
A very nice, small hotel right on the market square. The room was very large and lovingly furnished – very much in the style of a "birdcatcher's room". In the evening we had the Glückstädter Matjes in the adjoining restaurant. You have to try it! I would have liked a bit more fresh fruit at the breakfast buffet and it was a bit clear, but there was still something for everyone.

Day 3: Glücksstadt – St. Michaelisdonn

First, we cycled along the dyke towards Brunsbüttel. Here, of course, a longer stopover at the lock of the Kiel Canal was on the agenda. A small ferry took us across to the other side – a foretaste of the day ahead. It's impressive how many ships can fit into the lock chamber and how much effort goes into it. You can get a very good overview in the small but beautiful canal museum right next to the lock. In my opinion, the viewing platform on the NOK doesn't offer that much. It's more rewarding to follow the cycle path for a few meters and watch the ships leaving the lock. We then headed towards St. Michaelisdonn via fields and small forest paths, passing many windmills – many new ones and one old one. The town itself has little to offer by my standards – but the restaurant in the hotel has a very tasty North Sea plaice on offer... 

Hotel: Der kleine Hans
The "cheap version" of the adjoining four-star hotel. But there is no trace of cheap. The room is bright and friendly, and the shower that flows into the room may take some getting used to. But you can install a privacy screen here. The breakfast buffet was very varied and freshly prepared.

Day 4: St. Michaelisdonn - Rendsburg

We spent a whole day cruising along the Kiel Canal. Unfortunately, there was almost nothing going on on the canal – two or three larger ships could be seen during the tour, otherwise there were rather smaller sailing boats on the way. Ferries made it possible to change banks from time to time and get more or less sun. A few meters of the cycle path were closed on both sides for unknown reasons - there was a somewhat adventurous "sneak route" through the adjacent forest. But it was easy to find and only very short - all in all, not a big problem. Again and again, beautiful spots on the shore invited us to take a short break. It's definitely worth taking enough water and food with you for the day. There is always a kiosk or a small restaurant, especially on the ferries, but they are few and far between. I arrived in Rendsburg around midday – and the first adventure was to cycle down the longest escalator in Europe to cross under the NOK – that was quite an experience. But then I preferred to take the elevator up. The first official act was, of course, a ride on the floating ferry across the NOK. Admittedly: It's more impressive from the outside than when you're on board yourself. But it's definitely an experience. Right next to the ferry is the ship's welcome facility with an adjoining restaurant. We had a piece of cake there - but there wasn't much to say hello to. We then cycled through Rendsburg, past the beautiful Paradeplatz (where there is a very tasty pizzeria) to the hotel. I was a little skeptical at first, as the hotel is located directly on a busy street, but the street noise decreases significantly in the evening, so I was able to sleep with the window open. Check-in takes place via a bag with the room key in the adjacent bicycle shed with charging facilities. You only really see the hotel staff at breakfast or when checking out the next morning.

Hotel: 1690
Relatively small hotel that largely manages without staff – but that doesn't really detract from the stay. The rooms are functionally furnished and there is a nice breakfast buffet in the morning.

 

Day 5: Rendsburg – Schleswig

We set off towards Eckernförde in glorious sunshine - and there was also a longer stopover on the agenda. The beautiful sandy beach invites you to take a dip in the North Sea – and for lovers of sweets, a trip to the candy factory is recommended – here you can watch how the countless varieties are made and, of course, buy your own. The route then takes you along fields and small forests towards Schleswig – you can see the beautiful silhouette of the town from afar. A detour to Gottorf Castle with its extensive archaeology exhibition and changing special exhibitions is almost obligatory. Another must-see is Schleswig Cathedral with its impressive carved altar. A stroll through the fishing village of Holm and a detour to the nearby monastery garden is also recommended.

Hotel: Alter Kreisbahnhof
An inclusive hotel where people with and without disabilities work together. The room is very spacious and the food in the hotel's own restaurant Gleis 9 is highly recommended.

Day 7: Kappeln – Flensburg

The forecast for the last stage was for heavy rain, so I decided to set off early. In my opinion, this was one of the most beautiful stretches of the ride - sometimes I would have liked to have had more time for breaks here. But the onset of the rain made sure that I cycled towards Glücksburg as quickly as possible. The castle is not only a good place to put on dry clothes, but is definitely worth a visit. Here you can immerse yourself in the history of the Glücksburg nobility for a good two hours and get information about the rooms and people via an app. If the weather is good, it's definitely worth taking a walk in the castle park and around the lake – I preferred to catch the boat to Flensburg. A very nice way to arrive in Flensburg. It's worth planning some time for Flensburg. The maritime museum and the museum harbor are very interesting - and there are extremely tasty fish sandwiches directly at the museum shipyard, for which it's worth queuing. If you want a delicious meal, pay a visit to the harbor kitchen. There is no menu - it is not decided until the afternoon what will be on the table in the evening. The waiters are very patient in explaining how the individual dishes are put together - it's definitely worth a visit, even if it's not cheap.

Hotel: Alte Post
An excellent hotel that makes for a nice end to the trip. The room and bathroom were literally huge, the breakfast buffet left nothing to be desired. The abandoned bar serves as a bike storage area. The charging facilities are a bit scarce.