Here the Danevirke stops being a faint line in the grass and becomes something you can touch, and the label calls it a connection wall. Archaeologists use that term for the short sections that tie the main rampart to its neighbours, the walls that stitched the whole system into one barrier from the Schlei to the western marshes. Area 8 lies in the heart of the system, a short walk from the village of Dannewerk, whose name simply means Danes' Work.
The most striking part of the Danevirke is a wall of brick, built in the twelfth century under King Valdemar the Great. It is one of the earliest large brick structures in Scandinavia, and the technique, newly imported from the south, was a statement of power, as bricks were rare and costly in a country of earth and wood. The wall stretches for several kilometres, a long red line against the green, and its weathered face is still impressive, with the patterns of the old brickwork visible in places.
The ride to get here is flat and easy, through farmland with big skies, and the roads become smaller and quieter as you approach the village. The surfaces are generally good, and traffic is light. The nearby motorway is audible in places, a reminder that the old route north is still the main one. Schuby, with about two and a half thousand people, is the closest place with a few shops, and Schleswig has all the fuel and food you might need.
Dannewerk has a museum devoted to the Danevirke, with finds from the excavations and a good explanation of the construction phases. The staff are helpful, and a visit makes the whole landscape come alive. Check the opening times in advance, since small museums keep limited hours. Come on a dry day, bring a jacket for the wind, and allow time to walk along the wall. The light in late afternoon, when the sun slants across the brick, is especially fine.