In 1412, on a causeway through the marshes near Kremmen, the forces of the new Hohenzollern rulers of Brandenburg fought the Dukes of Pomerania in a battle that marked the beginning of the Hohenzollern era, which would eventually lead to Prussia and the German Empire. The causeway, the Kremmer Damm, still crosses the wetland, and a memorial cross marks the site of the battle. Fontane described it in his travels, and the story is part of Brandenburg folklore.
Kremmen is a small town on the edge of the Rhinluch, a vast wetland of meadows, ditches and peat bogs that stretches west towards the Ruppin lakes. The town's most charming feature is its barn quarter, the Scheunenviertel, a street of old timber-framed barns on the edge of town, built outside the walls to protect the town from fire. Many of the barns have been converted into restaurants, cafés and craft shops, making them a lovely place for a break.
The riding here is relaxed and peaceful. The roads are flat, with long straights across the wetlands and gentle curves through the villages. Traffic is light, but the roads can be windy, and agricultural vehicles are common. In spring and autumn, cranes and geese gather in the wetlands, and the sound of their calls fills the air. Watch for cobbles in the villages and for trees close to the road.
Fuel is most reliably found in Oranienburg or Velten, a short ride to the east and south. The Scheunenviertel offers coffee, cake and hearty Brandenburg dishes. The Barnim forests and the Werbellinsee lie to the north-east, with beech woods and clear lakes.