A gentle tour in the far north: Biking with a child

I have read Emily Brontë's classic "Wuthering Heights" several times. The scenes in which the heroine runs through the vast, wild moors are legendary - and inspiring. And so we originally had a bike trip to Scotland on our radar. But then I got pregnant and Sophie joined our team. With an 18-month-old daughter, we didn't want to go to the rugged Highlands after all. So we had to find a gentler, but not too boring alternative: an area that would captivate us with its scenery and fulfil our rather high standards as trail-seeking bikers, but which would also be perfect for our first trip with a trailer. To our own surprise, we found all of this right on our doorstep: in the Lüneburg Heath.

Hamburg is a metropolis of millions. And we clearly realise this in the dense traffic around the Hanseatic city. It's anything but lonely here. We experience the contrast all the more intensely when we leave the A7 motorway and find ourselves in seclusion after just a few kilometres. We roll down the windows and let in the warm, humid scent of the forest.

The maps of the region are characterised by two colours: There is the green of the woodlands and the pink of the protected heathland. It has characterised the north-east of Germany since the 19th century, and it is precisely in the months of August and September that people are drawn here. The small heather flowers open in their millions and transform the area into a huge, colourful carpet.

In the centre of this green and purple mosaic lies the village of Oberhaverbeck and its campsite. Idyllically nestled between two large heathland areas, it is the perfect base. We don't have a campervan, but Sophie loves sleeping in a tent. Comfort doesn't matter if you can hear the forest come alive at night. Highly motivated by the successful camping night with the child, we set off the next morning on a two-day exploration trip.

We are already a little unsure. We don't yet know how our offspring will behave on a longer trip. In general, our equipment is very minimalist - including the suspension. Let's see how that will feel for all of us on the trails in the hills. To kick things off, we set our sights on the highest mountain in the Lüneburg Heath - which is also the highest mountain in the whole of north-west Germany. The Wilseder Berg rises 169 metres high. It was formed by mighty glaciers during the Ice Age, and we soon realise that mountain biking on this terminal moraine is no longer a walk in the park, but a real challenge. At least for Daniel. Normally he wouldn't feel such a climb at all. But with an appendix, he admits at the summit, "the destination quickly takes on different dimensions". But the real treats are still ahead of us.

The local bikers have their cult routes in this area, which are certainly not frequented by Sunday cyclists. If you want to know what I'm talking about, you should cycle in the area around Steingrund and Totengrund. Even if the name doesn't suggest it: The path that runs along the ridge exposes the view of a quite enchanting valley. But you can't really enjoy the view, because you shouldn't lose sight of what's happening in front of you. The surface is quite changeable. Sophie slumbers peacefully in the trailer. The gentle "vibrations" of the hammock have made her nod off quickly.

We take a break because we don't want to drive our sleeping daughter over uneven off-road terrain. We don't have the space in the trailer to lay Sophie down. And when she's sitting, her head has no support and keeps falling to the left and right and forwards. But the forced break finally gives us time to really soak up the blaze of colour around us. I diligently photograph the flowers and my husband frees himself and his bike from their luggage. Now it's his time. Daniel gets on the saddle to really let off steam on the technical trails. He comes back all sweaty and grinning - and the good wife hands him a bowl full of sweet blackberries that are still warm from the sun. Heath idyll.

We cover quite a bit of distance until late afternoon before making our way back to the campsite. This means that we believe we are on the way back. We recognise the symbol on the map in a similar form from Polish maps. And in Poland it stands for accommodation. Not in Germany. But as we don't speak German, the word "Schafstall" doesn't really help us. On site, we realise that we may have misinterpreted something. So we pitch our tent not between campers, but next to a sheepfold - at least it's empty. The solitude is overwhelming. The full moon shines paternally down on us. A marten scurries past, an owl calls in the distance. It is magical. Finally, we retreat to our cosy home and slip into our sleeping bags.

I peek out of the tent as the sun rises. Thin, grey-blue wafts of mist hover over the heather carpet. As a passionate photographer, Daniel would normally set off now. But the first day off-road with a trailer has probably left him no less exhausted than an enduro ride in the Alps. And besides, we're on holiday. We want to relax and enjoy everything and soak up the impressions. Sophie gives us a whole new perspective. We see things through her eyes. It may not be as sporty, but we have challenges of a completely different nature. Quickly preparing breakfast on the cooker, washing the baby, changing nappies. This requires more water, more food, more equipment. Our little one adapts naturally to the new situations and doesn't complain at all about the spartan environment. On the contrary. She is happy because there is always something going on. A sheep over there, a frog in the grass or a beetle out for a walk. All the things that we adults no longer pay attention to are pure excitement for Sophie.

Back on the route, we meet the first tourists at around 9am. Around lunchtime, the popular corners of the Lüneburg Heath become more crowded. That's not surprising - after all, it's the weekend and the blossom barometer is going crazy. Then there are the festivities and events. Everyone wants to experience the natural spectacle and savour the regional cuisine.

Once again, we enjoy the fact that we don't encounter any cars, as the core area of the nature park is a car-free zone. Instead, there are horse-drawn carriages. Somehow we feel transported back to the times before the Industrial Revolution. Especially in a village like Wilsede, which is characterised by beautiful and, above all, wonderfully preserved architecture - a veritable open-air museum. Unfortunately, we don't make it to Lüneburg, which is also famous for its historic town centre. But there are plenty of other attractions on our way. The vastness of the heath is one side, the dense forests the other. Here we keep discovering trails that no tourist would ever get lost on. It gets quite narrow for our trailer on these routes, but Daniel manoeuvres skilfully on the paths with his riding technique. We cycle back through warm, fragrant pine forests and lush moorland and finally reach the campsite tired - yes, it really is the campsite.

It's the end of August and it's hot. Storms roll in at night and the sun beats down during the day. On the sections without shade, we feel like we're on the Dakar Rally. The heat shimmers, the sand grinds in the gearbox and under the wheels. Our necks are dry as dust. The thorny juniper bushes sticking out of the dry earth are reminiscent of cacti. In the evening we are tired, especially Sophie and me. We need a break, so the next day I grab my little girl and we visit the Heide Park in Soltau. Daniel sets off again, luggage-free, to play on the trails.

In the evening, we study the maps once again and start dreaming. It's not feasible with a small child, but how nice would a bike route through all the more than 30 heathland areas between Hamburg and Celle be - similar to the 223 km long Heidschnuckenweg?! The area around Munster shines in tantalising heather pink on the map. But wait, it says "military training area". Since our interpretation of the sheepfold, we've been forcing ourselves to look up German words more often. Well, we would skip this area. But there are plenty of other heathland corners that will definitely keep us coming back. We've almost forgotten our plans for Scotland because we're so excited.

The perfect attachment

For tours away from the tarmac network, a child trailer with suspension is recommended. For example, the Chariot CX1 with hammock and adjustable leaf springs. From approx. 900 euros. www.thule.com. Or the Singletrailer from Tout Terrain with 200 mm suspension travel. 1350 euros. Info: www.tout-terrain.de

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The precinct
The most exciting biking terrain can be found in the north of the Lüneburg Heath between Schneverdingen in the west and Egestorf in the east: the heathland is surrounded by beautiful forests and criss-crossed by a dense, signposted network of routes. There is a central base camp from which you can explore the area. You can also return from longer tours by public transport. During the flowering season, a free bus service runs between the villages, including cycle transport.

Tours
- Round 1: Oberhaverbeck - Alfred-Toepfer-Blick - Lila-Krönung-Radweg - Spitzbubenweg - Alte Landesstraße - Schneverdingen - Heide-Erlebnis/Heide-Kunst-Radweg (Lila-Krönung-Radweg) - Lönsstein - Heidegrund/Heide-Kunst-Radweg - Oberhaverbeck
- Round 2: Oberhaverbeck - Niederhaverbeck - Einem - Heide-Erlebnis-Radweg - Wilseder Berg - Wilsede - Holzberg - Totengrund - Steingrund - Stattberg, Heidetal - Oberhaverbeck
- Round 3: Oberhaverbeck - Wilsede - Kutur-Findlinge-Wanderweg - Döhle - Hörpel - Lila-Krönung-Wanderweg - Sellhorn - Hermann-Löns-Weg - Oberhaverbeck

Trailer The Lüneburg Heath may not be mountainous, but we underestimated the dusty, bumpy forest paths and the cobblestones in the towns. With hindsight, we would recommend a trailer with suspension and sufficient storage space.

Distance limit A child hardly ever gets tired, but perhaps bored. That's why breaks are so important, including a short nap. We would set the limit on good surfaces at a maximum of 60 kilometres a day. In our case, the paths were more challenging and we cycled a maximum of 40 kilometres a day.

Excursions The Lüneburg Heath also offers plenty of variety for bike-free days - from wildlife parks and leisure parks to swimming opportunities. The well-designed tourism portal provides a perfect overview:
www.lueneburger-heide.de