From the viewing tower on the Kniepenberg, you have a wonderful view over the Elbe valley floodplains with wet meadows, lakes and numerous oxbow lakes. In 1997, the river landscape was ennobled by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve. Flocks of migratory birds use the floodplains as a stopover, cranes and storks use them as a breeding ground and sometimes white-tailed eagles circle above the river. And even beavers have re-established themselves here.
In two days, our tour leads from Lauenburg upstream to Pevestorf, which is near Gorleben, and downstream on the right bank of the Elbe back to Lauenburg. The route crosses four federal states through Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony, Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Markus Supplie (mechanic in the bike shop in Lüchow) is also travelling with his racing bike buddies, sometimes on the left bank of the Elbe, sometimes on the right. On the right, to the north-east of the Elbe, the floodplain is perfectly flat and the B 195, a dead-straight avenue that runs along it, is probably one of the least frequented federal roads in Germany - a paradise for rouleurs. It is precisely this variety that makes it so appealing to Supplie. His homeland, he says, has a few tough climbs in store, but also the endless expanse along the Elbe river.
You can download the entire article and the GPS data below:
- Day 1: Linkselbisch (99 kilometres, 400 metres in altitude, max. 13 % gradient)
- Day 2: Right Elbe (100 kilometres, 280 metres in altitude, max. 2 % gradient)
