German Fen Route
Cycling sans frontières, with the wind at your back

The German Fen Route is a 163 kilometre circular tourist route located in north-west Germany, roughly 65 kilometres south of the North Sea coast. It passes through what used to be tracts of peat marshland and fen colonies. Fen drainage canals, working locks and the region's typical bascule bridges, ancient brick-built churches and imposing windmills line the route. The word fen is of Germanic origin and in this area of Germany is associated with a particular method of cultivation in use during the 17th century that involved digging canals and secondary channels to drain areas of marshland. Several places along the route still retain the word "fehn" as part of their name.

No matter what your age or sex, if you are a keen cyclist this is the place for you. The countryside is so flat here that people joke about being able to see in the morning who is coming for afternoon tea. The magnificent views stretching all the way to the horizon awaken feelings of space, freedom and grandeur. "Moin, Moin" is a typical north-west German greeting that you will hear over and over again as you explore the expanses of East Friesland fen country by bike. Narrow roads across fields and meadows and along the dikes evoke the feeling of being alone amid nature in a perfect world of woolly white sheep grazing, birds circling overhead and clouds scudding along behind them. There are leisurely, level cycle trails criss-crossing the whole of this countryside where the original character of the region remains very well preserved, even today. Cyclists who would rather not be completely worn out after a hard day's ride would be well advised to cycle from west to east. As the sea breeze usually blows from a westerly direction, it is a good idea to use the tail wind to advantage. If the wind really is too strong, simply get off your bike and take a break.