The name comes from the provost of the convent at Preetz, who once held the land and drew rent from its farmers. The villages are strung along the lanes at the edge of the fields, with brick farmhouses, village churches and long avenues of trees.
It is an easy, relaxed place to ride, with flat roads, light traffic and wide views over the fields. The bends are gentle, and the surface is generally good, with a few rough patches on the back roads. The wind blows hard on the open land, so be ready for it, and the sky seems huge. In summer, the fields are full of ripening barley and wheat, and the air smells of hay and the sea. There is little shade, so carry water.
The coast is not far, and the beaches at Wendtorf and Laboe are a favourite with the locals. Next to it lies U-995, a Second World War submarine that visitors can walk through, an eerie reminder of how cramped life was on board. The Kieler Woche, the great sailing festival in June, fills the fjord with white sails and draws crowds from all over Europe.
Fuel is available at Laboe and in the larger towns around Kiel, and there are also several cafes and restaurants on the coast. Many serve fresh fish, including smoked eel and herring, and the local speciality of Kieler Sprotten, small smoked sprats. In the evening the sea turns silver and the ships glide into the fjord with their lights on. It is a pleasant, uncomplicated place to wind down at the end of a day.