Kappeln lies on the Schlei, a long narrow inlet of the Baltic that reaches forty-odd kilometres inland, like a fjord that forgot to be steep. The bridge itself is the town's emblem: a lifting bridge from the 1920s that opens to let ships through, so be prepared to wait a few minutes while the roadway rises and the sailing boats glide past.
Kappeln is the capital of Angeln, the rolling, hedge-patterned peninsula between the Schlei and the Flensburg Fjord that gave England its name. The Angles, a Germanic tribe who migrated to Britain in the fifth century, are said to have come from this region, and you will see the name on signs and shops. The country is a landscape of low hills, farms and thatched cottages, with winding lanes under old trees and hardly any traffic. The surface is generally good, and the bends are gentle, making it a very pleasant place to ride slowly.
On the water, the Heringszaun is the unique sight. This is the last herring fence in Europe, a long line of stakes and nets in the shape of a funnel that traps herring as they swim in during spring, and it has been used for centuries. Fresh and smoked herring are sold from stalls and small restaurants nearby, and a roll with smoked fish and onion is the thing to eat while watching the boats. A Dutch-style windmill stands on the harbour, and there are cafes along the waterfront.
Gelting, ten kilometres away, is the gateway to the Geltinger Birk, a nature reserve of heath, dunes and grazing cattle on the Baltic coast, where the land is flat and the wind is steady. Go in the morning, when the air is bright and the reeds shine. The old harbour and the maritime atmosphere make Kappeln a good stop for a long lunch, and for an excursion boat down the Schlei.