Nobody writes songs about the east side of Hamburg, and that is part of its charm as a starting point. Out here the city thins into Stormarn, a district of hedgerows, low brick villages and big sky, and the places on the map, Stapelfeld, Barsbüttel and Glinde, are the sort of towns that exist mainly so that people have somewhere to sleep within reach of the harbour. Glinde has about sixteen thousand people and a good supply of supermarkets and petrol stations, and Barsbüttel is not far behind, so there is no need to worry about fuel before you leave.
What you get in exchange for the lack of drama is access. The motorway to Lübeck is close, but you do not have to take it. Small roads head off toward the Sachsenwald, a large old forest to the south-east that was once Bismarck's estate, and the little river Bille winds through meadows on the way. The hedgerows here are the typical Schleswig-Holstein knicks, earth banks planted with hazel and blackthorn, which have divided the fields for centuries and give the lanes their narrow, enclosed feel. Corners are short and often blind, so keep a little in reserve, particularly when a tractor appears with a trailer wider than the road.
Nearby Ahrensburg has a Renaissance moated castle, white and red with a tidy reflection in its pond, that is worth a detour if you have time before the day begins. The surrounding country was shaped by the ice age and the local brick tradition, and you can see that in the farm buildings and the churches. The air in summer smells of cut grass and rapeseed, and in autumn of ploughed earth and woodsmoke. Cyclists use these lanes heavily at weekends, so a calm pace pays off.
The best time to leave is early morning, when the commuter flow is still building toward the city and the road east is almost empty. Evenings are good for the return, with the sun dropping behind you and the lights of the city glowing on the horizon. This is not a place for photographs or long visits, but it is a practical, friendly kind of start where you can check your tyres, buy a roll and a coffee, and set off with a full tank and a clear head.