Hamburg's high ground is not very high. The highest point in the whole city, a wooded hill called the Hasselbrack, reaches only about 116 metres, and it lies in the Harburg Hills, just a few kilometres from this point on the southern edge of the city. Still, in a country as flat as north Germany, those hills are a real change of scene, and the road that runs through them is one of the best for riders on the south bank of the Elbe.
The heath is the remnant of a landscape created by centuries of grazing, and the sheep that graze it now keep it open. Paths wind through it, and on a clear evening the light on the heather is extraordinary.
The roads around here are small and winding, running between hedgerows, over gentle rises and through patches of pine and birch. After the open flatlands of the Elbe, the bends come as a pleasure, and the soft, sandy smell of the heath is quite different from the damp air of the marshes. Traffic is light outside commuting hours, though the main roads towards Hamburg are busy at rush hour.
Seevetal and Harburg both lie within ten kilometres, with plenty of fuel and food. Neu Wulmstorf itself has supermarkets, bakeries and a few cafés, and the surrounding villages are quiet and neat. If the weather is good, stop for a walk on the heath, and take your helmet off for a few minutes. The silence and the open sky make a good end to a ride, and the city is only a short run away.