With some thirty thousand people, it is a proper town with fuel, supermarkets and cafes, and with a pleasant, slightly sleepy old centre of brick and half-timber. The river here is broad and slow, lined with willows and meadows, and it makes a good place for a stop and a flask of coffee.
The Weser is the great river of this part of Germany, formed at Hannoversch Münden by the meeting of the Werra and the Fulda and flowing north to the North Sea at Bremerhaven. Along the way it passes through a string of attractive towns, and Nienburg is one of the most relaxed. The region is famous for asparagus, and from April to the end of June, the traditional end of the season, restaurants all over the area serve it with ham and new potatoes. The German Asparagus Route passes right through here, and you will see roadside stalls selling the white stalks by the kilo.
The riding here is flat and easy, along the river through fields and small villages. The dike roads are quiet and the surface is generally good, with long, straight stretches and gentle bends. There is not much shelter, so wind can be a factor, and the wide views over the meadows and the river are lovely in the evening, with the light low and golden. A cycle path follows the Weser for most of its length, and cyclists are common, so give them room.
Drakenburg, a village about five kilometres away, is on the river, and the surrounding area has a number of lakes and gravel pits, some of which are used for swimming. Look for signs before you plunge in, as the Weser itself has currents and shipping, and is not recommended for swimming. The Steinhuder Meer, Lower Saxony's biggest lake, is a short ride to the east, and offers beaches, sailing and a good place for smoked eel.