East Friesland is well-known to cyclists. This flat region, actually located on the western part of Germany’s North Sea coast, is part of the state of Lower Saxony, not because it is lower as in south, but lower in elevation. The level land added to the proximity to the coast, however make it a magnet for sweeping winds. This in combination with January does not exactly make bike riding sound so attractive. But we felt lucky anyways to have found a bike shop in Jever willing to loan us two pairs of wheels for the weekend. The owner also gave us the most incredible directions to help us get to the starting point (in Schortens) of a cycling tour we had in our guide book.
Schloss Gödens
Wearing as many layers as I had brought with me, we set out on our bikes in the frigid cold. Our tour began at Schloss Gödens, which was unfortunately closed to visitors in the winter. Peering through the naked limbs of trees along the moat, I could only make out that the castle is made of bricks. Not too far away, we rode through the village of Neustadtgöddens, which is regularly voted as East Friesland’s cutest town. There I insisted on stopping in a bakery for some tea so I could thaw out a bit.
Dangast
After tea, I was instantly as cold as before. A slight headwind made me colder, slower, and more complain-y. At least it wasn’t raining. Even with a wrong turn, we managed to successfully arrive in Dangast on the coast of the Jade Busen (a bay pronounced Yah-dah). Again, I was frozen, so we stopped at the Kurhaus Dangast for cake and hot chocolate. I don’t even want to imagine how busy that place is in summer! Cars were lined up and down the road to get in the parking lot. Once inside, there was not a seat left to be had. We sat outside on the covered patio, which was at least still warmer than being in the wind. Very German-style, we shared a table with several others, as even outside seats were few and far between. Sugar-ed up on some plum Streusel, we were ready to ride back.
Wildlife in East Friesland
The return trip is luckily not on top of the dike but alongside it. There’s unfortunately no view of the sea, but also less wind. Having a tailwind on the way back helped improve my outlook on cycling significantly. We went through some very impressive landscapes. The fields were absolutely beautiful. A bird watcher’s paradise! (see? I really was a different person now). Since there are hardly any tall trees, giant birds of prey were perched on fence posts. We saw hawks, falcons, cranes, and even pheasant as we rode on narrow country roads with bike-conscious drivers.
Exhausted, I considered hopping on the train as we rode by the station in Sande but changed my mind thinking it wouldn’t be too much further. It was another 15 kilometers (9 miles) before we were home, making our day’s total 60 km (37 miles)!
Perhaps January isn’t East Friesland’s best time of year for biking, but it was still possible and mostly enjoyable. The bike routes are well signposted making directions a breeze. I’d like to try other day trips in the area by bike, especially on some of the islands. But maybe next time in some warmer weather 😉
