Malente is a spa town that sits between two lakes, and it has the quiet manners of a place that has been taking care of visitors since the nineteenth century. The Dieksee lies to the west and the Kellersee to the east, and between them runs a canal and a path, lined with chestnut trees and villas, with boat landings and cafes. The old spa quarter, Gremsmühlen, has a park, a spa house and a fine collection of wooden villas with turrets and balconies.
The big attraction is the Five Lakes Tour, a boat trip that links the lakes of the Holstein Switzerland by canals and short channels, with a launch that runs in summer between Malente and Plön or Eutin. The trip lasts a couple of hours, and passes through reeds, beech woods and small hills, with swans and herons. It is slow and peaceful, a good way to spend an afternoon when the road is damp.
For riders, the town offers an easy coffee stop. There are bakeries and cafes along the main street, with cakes and coffee, and fuel stations on the road to Eutin. The town has about ten thousand people, and everything you need is within a short walk or ride. Eutin, a few kilometres away, is bigger and has more services.
The roads around Malente are among the most pleasant in the north, with smooth surfaces, gentle bends and a succession of lakes and woods. The hills are small, but they give a surprising sense of variety after the flat coast. The weather is mild, but showers can arrive quickly. In summer, the lakes are warm enough for swimming, and the beaches are busy at weekends. Come in the morning, when the water is still, and the first light picks out the reeds. A slice of plum cake and a pot of coffee at one of the lakeside cafes costs little and takes the edge off any amount of damp.