The land is flat and watery, with the Havel winding through meadows, reed beds and shallow lakes, and the old fishing town of Ketzin sits on its bank, with a small harbour, a church and a ferry across the river. The air smells of mown grass and mud, and herons stand in the shallows.
Next door lies the Döberitzer Heide, a former military training ground that is now a huge wilderness area, closed to farming for more than a century. Heath, sandy hills, birch and pine make a landscape unlike the rest of the region, and herds of Przewalski's horses, bison and red deer roam freely, grazing the grass and keeping the scrub in check. Guided walks and a few marked paths allow visitors in, but the best views are from the edges. Close by, at Elstal, stand the remains of the 1936 Olympic Village, where athletes lived during the Berlin Games, and some buildings have been restored.
The label links this finish to Potsdam and the Havel, the lakes and palaces to the south, and the ride from there to here follows narrow lanes beside the river. Roads in the Havelland are flat and quiet, with avenues of old trees, and the surface is mostly good, with some cobbled stretches in villages. In spring, white storks return to nest on rooftops, and in autumn, cranes pass over in long lines.
Fuel is available on the main roads, and Wustermark and Dallgow have shops and bakeries, with Ketzin offering a few cafes by the harbour. Smoked fish from the Havel is the local treat. Take care on the narrow lanes at dusk, when deer come out to feed.