# Eastern Germany summer ride



## Intelligenthamster (8 Aug 2011)

This was now two years ago... Mr Hamster and I had a four-day break in Cottbus, in Spreewald. This is flattish and cycling heaven for German tourists, so we had booked cycle hire. Blue sky, warm. We headed off through the typically Soviet-era architecture and out into the fields and woods along the well-marked trails following the cycle map. However, at a tiny place called Merzdorf the trail is supposed to be by the railway line and we can't find either! There is a huge open-cast lignite mine beside the path and we eventually realise the trail, and railway, have been gobbled up. The railway, we later find out, has been relaid a way away.

A viewing platform has been recently constructed so we go up to view the mining operation. We see one of the tour groups rolling by on the cycle trail, and I promise myself I will come and do one of the week-long round tours some time. The tower is about 150ft high and Mr H isn't 100% brilliant with heights, so we scuttle down again and have chocolate and water on terra firma before heading back to the road and finally finding the diverted trail.

Across a sort of causeway between two huge lakes, lots of water birds including great crested grebes with their amazing hairstyles. The only cloud in the sky is above Jannowitz Power Station, a condensation cloud hovering so perfectly above it, it is like a cartoon cloud of doom. The road to it is called Kraftwerkstrasse- so being sad and a lifelong fan of the group, I snap a picture of the road sign. We roll into the village of Peitz and stop briefly for soup and a cold beer. Every cafe or bar has a cycle rack outside. Back on the trail we spot more of the former railway that became disused when the mine expanded, and come to a lake in the woods with a small cafe-bar where we have ice cream. Lots of locals swimming and I make a mental note to bring a cossy or compatible kit if I pass this way again, although we then spot the man on the opposite bank in the altogether as he heads into the water. He is in no way flaunting but neither is he hiding- northern and eastern Europeans can be much more relaxed about this sort of thing. We get back on the trail and come to a section we explored two days ago, trails along the banks of the Spree. At one stop we both see a kingfisher flying low hunting.

Eventually we get onto the cobbled streets of Dissen, and as we aren't on our own bikes it's a bit sore. "Oh, my a***!" is heard from both of us at one point. Alternating between pine woods and fields we arrive back at Cottbus, lock up the bikes, shower and then have a beer and retrace the ride on the map and see how far we went- 20 miles. Not epic, but thoroughly enjoyable.

Has stuck in the memory as probably my nicest ride


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