Müden is one of those villages that photographers find without being told. It sits where the little Örtze river winds through the southern Lüneburg Heath, a clear, sandy-bottomed stream running between alders and meadows, and it is surrounded by thatched half-timbered farmhouses, old oaks and a small church. Several of the buildings have the typical heath style, with low eaves, brick infill and a big roof of reed or straw, and the whole thing looks as though it has been waiting for a painter. Many painters did indeed come, and the village has attracted artists for generations.
The river is the heart of the picture. In the morning mist rises off the water, and the light slants through the trees and picks out the edges of the roofs. There are old mills and bridges along the stream, and the clear water is a good place to see small fish, ducks and, with luck, a kingfisher flashing past. A footpath along the bank gives a quiet walk, and a canoe trip along the Örtze is a popular summer activity.
The riding here is leisurely. The roads in and out of the village are narrow and gently winding, lined with birch and pine, with some stretches of cobble or patched tarmac. In heather season, late summer, the clearings turn purple and the whole region is busy with visitors, so choose a weekday if you can. Nearby Faßberg has a place in history as one of the air bases used during the Berlin Airlift in 1948 and 1949, when planes brought food and coal to the besieged city, and a small museum recalls the event.
Müden itself has little more than a few inns, a café or two and an occasional farm shop, so it is a place to stop for a coffee and a walk rather than for provisions. The nearest larger town is Hermannsburg, about five kilometres away, which has fuel, supermarkets and several restaurants. Bring a camera, and give yourself half an hour at the bridge. Locals are used to photographers, but it is polite to keep clear of private farmyards and gardens.