Away from the cafés and promenades, Malente has another face, and it is made of beech trees. The forests around the town, between the Dieksee and the Kellersee, are among the finest broadleaf woods in Schleswig-Holstein, tall and grey-barked, with a high canopy that turns the light green in summer and copper in autumn. The ground beneath is soft with leaf litter, and the quiet is broken only by woodpeckers, jays and the sound of wind in the crowns.
A small lake called the Ukleisee lies hidden in the woods, a dark, still sheet of water surrounded by steep banks, which is reached by paths from the road and is a favourite with walkers. The highest ground in the whole state, the Bungsberg, rises only a short way to the northeast, and though at less than 170 metres it sounds modest, it gives the forest lanes a tilt and a pattern, with small climbs and descents that keep the riding interesting.
The lanes themselves are narrow, winding and quiet, often with a low tunnel of branches over the road. Corners come quickly, often blind, with soft verges and occasional patches of moss or leaf where the sun does not reach, so take them with respect. In autumn the road surface can be treacherous with wet leaves, and in winter, shaded sections hold ice long after the open roads have cleared. In summer the forest provides a cool refuge on a hot day, and the scent of damp earth and beech mast is unmistakable.
Wildlife is plentiful. Roe deer cross the road at dawn and dusk, and foxes and badgers live in the forest, while red kites and buzzards circle over the clearings. The woods are managed with care, and you may see signs of selective felling and the green markers that foresters use. Ride quietly and you are likely to see something.
For services, Malente is close, with about ten thousand people, fuel stations, supermarkets and bakeries, and Eutin is a few kilometres farther with a larger range. The forest itself has nothing, apart from the occasional forest inn or lake kiosk, so carry water. An early morning ride on a weekday in May, when the beeches are in fresh leaf and the forest floor is carpeted with wood anemones, is a pleasure hard to match.