Finkenwerder is an island that is not quite an island, a long, low spit of land in the Elbe that belongs to Hamburg and feels like a village. For centuries its people were fishermen, who sailed out into the North Sea in their sturdy boats and returned to a row of brick houses with thatched roofs, and the old quarter still has a sleepy, nautical atmosphere. The writer Johann Kinau, who published under the name Gorch Fock and wrote tales of the sea, was born here, and the famous German sail-training ship was named after him.
The island has another claim to fame, which sits uncomfortably beside the thatch: it is the site of a large Airbus factory, where aircraft are assembled, painted and flown out from a runway on the edge of the Elbe. Huge jets come and go over the village, and the contrast between old fishing cottages and airliners is one of the odd sights of Hamburg. You can see the planes from a viewing spot, and enthusiasts gather at the fence.
The ferry from Finkenwerder to the city centre is part of the public transport system, a pleasant half-hour crossing along the harbour, with views of the container terminals, the shipyards and the old fishing quarter. Nearby, the apple orchards of the Altes Land begin, and the island is known for an old apple variety, the Finkenwerder Herbstprinz, which is still sold at local stalls in autumn.
For a rider, the end of the ride here is pleasantly slow. The roads on the island are quiet and low, with speed limits that are enforced, and there is much to look at. Ottensen and Altona lie across the river, with fuel and plenty of cafés, though you will need to take the tunnel or the bridge to reach them, so fill up before the last stretch. A fish roll on the quay, with the wind in your hair and the planes overhead, makes a decent end to a long day.