Between Kiel and Rendsburg the land has a gentle rumple, and the woods near Bredenbek are among its better parts. The forest is mixed, beech and oak with patches of spruce, and it sits in the middle of an agricultural area where large fields are divided by Knicks and farm tracks. Here the roads are narrow, quiet and well shaded, a world away from the roar of the nearby motorway.
What shapes the area more than anything is the Kiel Canal, the busiest artificial waterway in the world by ship traffic, a few kilometres to the north. Dug in the 1890s to give the German navy a quick route between the Baltic and the North Sea, it cuts straight through the base of the peninsula, and the sight of a huge container ship gliding past between fields is one of the oddest in Germany. The canal is crossed by a string of ferries, which are free to use and run all day, and taking one is a small pleasure in itself. If one comes, park, enjoy the scenery and let the ship go by first.
The forest road is more subtle than the canal. It runs in curves over gentle slopes through the trees, with a lot of light flicker and some stretches where roots have lifted the tarmac. In summer the shade is welcome, and in autumn the leaves come down thick on the corners, so watch for slippery patches. Hares and deer cross the road at dawn and dusk, and buzzards sit on fence posts. The surface is generally good, with the odd muddy patch near field entrances.
Bredenbek is a tiny village and does not offer much in the way of shops, though a farm stall or small café may be open in the season. For fuel and food, Osterrönfeld, on the canal about eleven kilometres away, is the closest sizeable place, and Rendsburg, a little beyond, has a full range. Bring water and a snack, and keep a little extra time in the schedule for the canal ferries and the occasional tractor. It is an easy, friendly stretch of riding, best on a bright, cool morning.