Buchholz in der Nordheide is not a place that anyone writes songs about, but it is a useful one. It sits on the southern edge of the Hamburg metropolitan area, where the suburbs give way to heath and pine forest, and it is the town where the Lüneburg Heath begins for anyone coming out of the city. With about thirty-seven thousand people it has everything: fuel, supermarkets, cafés and a station, and it is a sensible place to begin or end a ride from Hamburg.
The name Nordheide refers to the northern part of the heath, a landscape of sandy soil, heather and juniper that was created by centuries of grazing and wood-cutting. Without grazing, the heath turns into forest, so the local sheep, the grey horned Heidschnucken, have become a conservation tool as well as a symbol. In late summer, usually in August and September, the heather flowers purple and the country around Buchholz becomes a landscape of pink and violet.
The riding south and west of town is relaxed. Roads wind between pine woods and farmland, past thatched farmhouses and small ponds, and the surface is good. Corners are gentle, traffic is moderate, and there are several small villages such as Jesteburg and Bendestorf that offer cafés and a pleasant stop. On this ride the heath is a first act, before the long run to the North Sea dikes, where the land flattens out and the wind picks up.
Early mornings in autumn, when mist lies over the heath and the first light catches the heather, are particularly lovely. Midday in summer can be busy with day-trippers from Hamburg, and weekends fill the cafés. Take small roads where you can, and watch for horse riders and cyclists, which are everywhere in this region.
Buchholz itself is a pleasant but unremarkable town, with a pedestrian centre, a few restaurants and an easy-going feel, and it works best as a gateway. Fill up, grab a coffee, and then head for the lanes.