Schwansen is a blunt thumb of land between the Schlei and the Bay of Eckernförde, and it is one of the most underrated corners of Schleswig-Holstein. The countryside is gently rolling farmland, divided into fields by Knicks, those hedge-topped earth banks that give the Baltic coast its distinctive patchwork, and dotted with old estates, thatched barns and brick villages. The sea is always near, on one side or the other, and glimpses of water through gaps in the hedge give the roads a pleasing sense of mystery.
The area has a distinctly Danish feel, which is no accident. This was border country for centuries, and for much of the Middle Ages it belonged to the Danish crown, with Danish place names and Danish habits that lingered long after the political border moved. The languages of the area were Low German, Danish and Frisian, and you still see double-language signs in places farther north. The villages of Schwansen have names like Rieseby and Waabs, and the big landowners built manor houses with long drives and avenue trees, some of which are still in private hands.
The backroads are the best way to see it. They run in gentle undulations, over small bridges and through patches of beech wood, with low stone walls, lines of poplar and old oaks, and every few kilometres a church tower. The surface is generally good, though some roads are narrow and patched, and farm vehicles take up the whole width at harvest. On a clear day the road sometimes opens to a view of the Baltic with sails on the water. Wind is a factor, and the weather changes quickly, so be ready for a sudden shower.
Services are modest. Damp, on the coast, is a holiday resort that grew up in the 1970s and has shops, cafés and a long beach, and villages like Waabs and Rieseby have a shop or a bakery. For fuel and a bigger choice, Kappeln, on the Schlei, about nine kilometres away, is the nearest town with fuel stations and supermarkets, and Eckernförde to the south has more. Plan the tank accordingly. Spring, when the rape fields are bright yellow, and early autumn, with stubble gold and the sky enormous, are the best times for this quiet, reflective ride.