The beach at St. Peter-Ording is so wide that the sea is sometimes a long walk away. The sand stretches for about twelve kilometres along the west coast of the Eiderstedt peninsula, up to two kilometres wide at low tide, and is one of the broadest in Germany. The restaurants on the beach stand on tall wooden stilts, like something from a fairy tale, because the tide and storm surges can cover the sand.
The place is a spa and seaside resort, with about four thousand people in the village and many more in summer. Kitesurfers, windsurfers and sand yachts use the wide beach, and the wind is a constant. The village has fuel, food and hotels, though for a larger choice of services the town of Tönning, about twenty kilometres away, is the nearest with more than five thousand people. In some places cars are allowed to drive on the beach for a fee, but check the rules on site before taking a motorcycle onto the sand, since it can be soft and the tide moves fast.
The ride here crosses the Eiderstedt peninsula, a low, flat land of dykes, sheep and wide skies, with thatched farmhouses on their artificial mounds called Warften. The road is straight and exposed, and the wind makes it a physical ride, with crosswinds that push the bike across the lane. Spring and autumn are quieter, and the light is excellent. In summer the beach is crowded, and the road in is slow at weekends.
The tidal flats are part of the Wadden Sea National Park, an important area for birds, and in spring and autumn huge flocks of waders gather on the mud. A walk on the sand at sunset, with the light low and the sea a thin silver line, is the best way to finish the ride. Bring a windproof jacket, since the breeze can be chilly even in July.