South of the village of Uedem the forest is called the Hochwald, and the number on the label is a forestry compartment, so I will describe the woodland and the country around it instead of a single spot. The Lower Rhine here is a flat, green landscape of fields, hedgerows and patches of pine and beech, with long views and a big sky.
Xanten is worth the detour for its Roman past. The Romans built a large settlement, Colonia Ulpia Traiana, on the Rhine here in the early second century, and today an archaeological park, one of the largest in Europe, has reconstructed buildings, including a section of the city wall, a temple and a large amphitheatre, set in the open fields where the real city stood. In the medieval town, the cathedral of St Victor, a Gothic church, rises above the old streets, and the town is linked in legend with Siegfried, the hero of the Nibelungenlied, who is said to have been born here.
The riding is flat, quiet and straightforward. The roads cross the plain in long straight sections, interrupted by gentle bends around farms and woods, and the surface is generally excellent. Cyclists are everywhere, and so are agricultural vehicles in spring and autumn, so the pace is relaxed. Wind can be a challenge on open sections, and fog gathers in the low fields on autumn mornings. In the forest, many tracks are closed to motor vehicles, and signs should be respected.
Uedem has fuel and basic shops, but Xanten offers a wider choice of restaurants, supermarkets and hotels. In late spring, white asparagus appears on every menu, and local bakeries sell sweet cakes and fresh bread. The nearby Rhine, with its wide river meadows and ferry crossings, is a pleasant place for a break, and birdwatchers come in winter to see geese and swans gathering on the floodplain.
Spring and early autumn are lovely, with mild air and soft light, while midsummer weekends bring cyclists in large numbers, and winter brings damp, grey weather.