Compassion Rising Tour 2025: northern Germany

German border near Rütenbrock

July 12: Lathen - Beverbruch (67.1km)

Nothing special to report as far as the route was concerned. In the morning, the wind was favourable. I left through a nature reserve, but next to a fairly busy regional road.

I followed the 'Hünesteinen' route and came in Ostenwalde indeed came across another one of those oblong hunebeds with multiple megaliths. However, it was no longer original. The historical monument was moved 70 metres to construct a crossroads. I wonder why they didn't construct a roundabout around it.

Around 2pm, I found a nice lunch spot: 'Happiness is just sitting here and doing nothing for once' was engraved on the bench. Lunch was allowed, I hoped. However, I couldn't stay long as I was eaten by tiny spiteful mosquitoes. Too bad, right after the sandwich, quickly back on the bike.

After 50km, I passed three campsites that I hadn't seen on my camping apps yesterday. For a moment I was tempted to stop there, but I lost my appetite when I saw how they were laid out: caravans and campers all crammed into small plots. And lots of noise from radios and the like.

Then prefer to go 16 km further to B Camping, an idyllic quiet campsite in the middle of nature that was, however, completely neglected by the previous owner. Patrick and Noëlle, the young couple who took it over in early June, are now completely refurbishing the campsite, and in this they have already succeeded magnificently.

Happiness is sitting here and just doing nothing for once.

13 July: rest day at BCamping

Cycled four days in a row and arrived at a very quiet campsite with plenty of mobile coverage and laptop seating.

Here I am staying to finally hammer together the newsletter, which I normally send out before I leave. It will be sent out on Monday at 15:30.

Those not yet receiving it can subscribe via www.reachoutforacause.org

Noëlle and Patrick are their B Camping, which they have only been operating since the beginning of June, is once again refurbishing nicely.

The previous owner had inherited Camping Tannenhof -that was the name of this campsite at the time- from his mother in good condition, but he managed to completely run it down in three years. Work to do, then, for Patrick and Noëlle.

And that's not all: the previous owner made their lives seriously miserable. He refused to hand over keys to electricity and other utilities, he did not give details of former permanent pitch tenants, etc.

I walked around the campsite in the morning and saw several plots that had been recreated in a dump: broken caravans, rickety coteries, mountains of rubbish and coarse dirt... But Noëlle and Patrick are not allowed to touch the rubbish because that is a violation of property rights. However, no rent is paid for those plots anymore and they have no record of the former tenants.

They must now seek permission through court proceedings to clean up that mess.

Why do people do such a devil to each other anyway? A little more kindness and compassion is so easy to give. I hope the court does not drag its feet for too long to deliver them the necessary permits.

If I didn't still have to cycle all the way to Tallinn, I would stay here to volunteer for a few days. Such a cool couple.

Quiet spot at B Camping (Großenkneten)

July 14: Bissel - Horstedt (69 km)

Another pleasant day of cycling with favourable winds, so I avanced quite smoothly.

The landscape was rather monotonous: wheat, maize and potato fields interspersed with the occasional patch of forest. So I just photographed some frivolities along the way, such as garden gnomes etc....

I ended this hot day with a dip in the Weser. So nice, swimming in natural water after a sweaty day of cycling!

Working water mill in Heiligenrode

July 15: Horstedt-Scheessel (51 km)

A day with some rain today, therefore not too many kilometres planned.

A heavy gust this morning between 8am and 10am, but fortunately there was in Camping Reich a shelter for tent campers under which we could wait with a group of cyclists until it eased up.

A little after ten finally set off and stayed dry until 10 km before my destination. And then suddenly the heavens opened, just on a lane next to a railway with little habitation. Fortunately, I drove past a waste disposal company with a hangar open. I was able to take shelter there, oef.

Retrieved from Camping Waidmannsruh at Scheessel I've fallen down with my butt in butter. More rain is forecast for tomorrow/tonight and the friendly manager allowed me to put up my tent under a party tent under which there is also a table and some garden chairs. All the necessary comfort in the dry, and this for only 8€. The cheapest camping so far.

The campsite is in a forest and just after my evening meal I had a little cute forest dweller visit me in my tent porch, where there was still an empty packet of pasta pomodoro. Maybe best to put my bag of food inside tonight. To avoid the risk of a ruined zip like in Prague last year.

Comfi camping spot with company 🙂

July 16: Scheessel - Stover Camping (73 km)

Last night it didn't rain. When I started packing, I thought: now for once I was dry under a party tent, and the predicted rain didn't come. And...? Five minutes later it started raining. Fortunately, this time I didn't have to rush to beat the rain like yesterday.

When I left, a few drops of rain still fell, but too few to get wet thanks to the drying effect of the wind.

The route undulated slightly. The first 30 km were monotonous, always straight ahead next to the D75 regional road. Then about 10 km along small rural lanes with much more captivating panoramas and slightly steeper hills. After yet another stretch of county road - which I followed 700 metres too far because Komoot had suddenly lost her voice after going shopping - I was able to turn off towards Elbe. For the last 10 km I followed the beautiful Elbe cycle path (cycle path).

On the tented meadow of Stover Strand Camping I was standing next to Ulli and Kurt, two Germans on their way to Bruges. We went to watch the sunset over the Elbe together.

Sunset on the Elbe

July 17: Stover campsite - Ratzeburg (60 km)

Today was a real day of rain cycling. No 'dry drops' like yesterday.

Luckily I just managed to get packed up dry, a little after nine it started raining. I had just left. Around 1pm, I got an hour rain response, then wetness again.

It is a blessing that there is a bus shelter at most bus stops in Germany, as it saved me from a heavy downpour several times today.

The trail was tough with regular steeper inclines. I had expected this to get out of the Elbe Valley, but after that it just continued up and down.

Actually, the climbs were not inconvenient, as they allowed me to fire up my internal heater a bit each time after cooling down due to the wetness.

Taking photos was possible only when it was not raining. I anxiously keep my phone in its plastic pouch because with drops on the screen, it starts to freak out and navigation becomes difficult to impossible.

Just past Mölln I saw a signpost to a youth hostel 1 km away. A real bed and roof over my head was tempting and I drove there. Full up, so on through the rain anyway.

I drove to a campsite at the Lake Ratzeburg and expected a flat ride next to the lake for the last few kilometres, but it turned into a fiercely descending and ascending muddy forest path against the side of a hill. Not so cool with a packed bike.... Fortunately, by now it had stopped raining for a while and the sun even came through.

This was the first ride that I started to feel seriously tired in the final kilometres. I was therefore relieved to finally be on Camping Schwalkenberg arrived.

Schwalkenberg campsite with view of Lake Ratzeburg

A fine campsite, pitched tent overlooking the lake, and ended the wet ride with a refreshing dip in the water that soothed the fatigue in body and soul. And when I got out it was already starting to rain again. But I let that shower slide past me in my tent, snickering nicely.

My camping neighbour was Eva Staerk from Aachen. She was delighted to see me and said I was the first female solo bikepacker she had encountered on her trip. This is German Eva's first long bikepacking trip. She is now 65 and only recently came up with the idea of long-distance cycling because she had met a woman who was doing it. She purchased the necessary materials and set out: 50 days on a bike was her first challenge. Thanks to her yoga practice, crawling around in a trekking tent poses no problem at her age. I can only agree and recommend it to everyone. She enjoys her being on the road immensely. Every day an adventure and new encounters.

In the evening, we had another fine pidgin German-English conversation, over a cup of tea in a typical German beach hut. With a setting sun and no rain. A nice end to a wet day.

And tomorrow a day of rest and another long swim.

The two Eves in a traditional beach seat basket

18 July: rest day at Camping Schwalkenberg

My German camping neighbour Eva is a yoga teacher and had invited me to a session at half past midnight, along with a third Eva from Kettenis (German-speaking Belgium) who participated online. The grass was still a bit damp from the morning fog, but we had enough cover material to keep clothes dry.

Shortly before Eva left on her bike - and again after about three rain showers - she folded an origami crane, a symbol of peace, as a farewell. I made a video of her hands, so I can give it a try too. The little bird is now hanging on the clothesline in my tent. I gave Eva a Tibet sticker, which she promptly stuck on her bike.

By lunchtime it cleared up and became another great afternoon. Swim, do some reading, update my online stuff, relax and in the evening go for something to eat at a hotel within walking distance, as I didn't feel like going to the shop due to yesterday's rain.

Cycling a longer distance again tomorrow as the weather will be nice. Hope to see you in the Baltic Sea.

The restaurant near the campsite

19 July: Ratzeburg-Wismar (65.5 km)

A great day of cycling today. At 8 am, it was already +20 degrees and the first brave Germans were already bobbing on the lake. With the steel-blue sky, I tried to photograph a Ukrainian flag (wheat field under blue sky), but the few suitable 'views' I found were not flawless. There were always some trees or a bush in the horizon. Or the field had already been mowed.

By 12 o'clock I arrived in the monastery town Rehna, where a monastery festival was just taking place. 10 euros day entrance fee, but I was willing to pay that. The German artisan markets are nice, and the church and nunnery building were also worth seeing. Rehna is a pretty town with many half-timbered houses still standing.

In the afternoon, it even became a bit too hot on the bike, especially in full sunshine. Today I had a headwind, which brought some cooling, but uphill pedalling was tougher.

Fortunately, I had some windless and shady forest paths, but they were then a bit more difficult to cycle. They are also used by horse riders.

At Hanshagen I passed a beautiful old farmstead surrounded by a magnificent flower garden. Rita, 84 years young, was diligently watering the flowers. Flowers are her life's work, higher up the hill she also has commercial flower fields. The gateway to her farmhouse was also specially decorated, with colourful light bulbs that burn at night on stored solar energy. A punishing woman.

In Hanseatic city Wismar I made a diversion to the Altstadt, the historic centre which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. My water had run out for a while and I was thirsty. So a quick visit to a terrace in the Grand Place and refill drink canister.

Due to the many stops, I didn't get up until around eight Camping Lütt Moor. I have not yet seen the sea, which is a long way from here.

Representation of the Ukrainian flag

20 July: Wismar-Kühlungsborn (40 km)

Short cycling day today. The campsite further on turned out to be expensive and noisy according to reviews, so took one earlier. It was also expensive (31€ !), but very luxurious, although I really don't need that. A tap of water, a toilet and a socket would suffice, but hey, a holiday campsite on the coast.... Better get back a bit more inland. But I did have a lovely swim in the sea here and a good shower afterwards.

The route was OK, just headwinds again. When I reached a beautiful windmill in Stove taking a break for a piece of fruit, Eva cycled in. She came from the island of Poel opposite Wismar. We cycled on together until Kühlungsborn.

Tomorrow it is supposed to rain a lot (21mm), but I have a Warm Showers host found here 60 km away. Probably I will arrive at that dear woman's place like a drowned water hen. Curious.

Stove windmill museum

21 July: Kühlungsborn - Tessin (60 km)

The forecast was heavy rain from the afternoon onwards. At night, it had rained several times as well.

So I scraped myself together after the morning pee at six and started packing, taking a quick breakfast without coffee.

At 7:45 I was already on my bike towards Rostock. I set off along the Beach Promenade of Kühlungsborn. There is a lot of money here, as you can see from the fancy buildings and gardens. After a few more kilometres on a gravel road next to the sea, unfortunately with almost no visibility because of the dense vegetation, I drove for a long time next to a narrow gauge railway line along which a very polluting tourist train travelled back and forth. It sent a jet-black plume of smoke into the air.

At Bad Doberan I drove a few metres round, to find a Gothic church in the Johan Sebastian Bach park to photograph.

There was no positive energy in Rostock for me, with the exception of the Warnow banks. I found the city centre drab and bleak. I photographed a church from a distance, and when I rounded the corner, I noticed that the attic had been converted into flats. Curious, I have never come across anything like that before.

Deconsecrated church with flats in Rostock

After a short fruit break - I received one weather alert after another - I just quickly rode on for the last 28 km to Tessin, where I arrived around 1pm. Without any significant rain!

Katharina, my Warmshowers Foundation hostess, was only home from 16h and so I kept myself busy for another hour or two with very slow shopping and a little food.

During the last 3.5 km to her house, I did get wet, but not nearly as bad as I expected. Those alarmist weather reports anyway...

Afterwards, warm cosiness and a real bed awaited me at Katharina's place.

July 22: Tessin -Neukalen (36 km)

This morning it was still raining cats and dogs. Katharina said I could feel free to stay another night, but by midday the rain subsided and I decided to leave anyway and cycle a few more kilometres towards Tallinn. It's still a long way to go, don't procrastinate too much and cycle when you can.

On the way, I had only a few drops of rain and the second part even sunshine. I was also able to set up the tent dry, but around 7pm another heavy thunderstorm passed by followed by almost non-stop rain.

The sanitary facilities at the campsite were far walking. Such uncomfortable situations spur creativity. I found a fairly simple way to take a quick pee in a potty in my enclosed porch. So from now on, for a pee, I don't have to leave the tent in dog weather. That's a bit of a relief anyway.

23 July: Neukalen- Priemen (57 km)

It was not exactly a pleasure ride today.

Had to pack the tent in the rain this morning: first unhitched the relatively dry inner tent and packed it separately, then packed my bike bags under the outer tent that was still upright, and then lastly packed the outer tent.

Then 57 km through the rain. I started on the scenic cycle route next to the Peene River, but the gravel sections had become spongy and heavy to cycle on due to the heavy rain. So as soon as I hit a tarmac road again, I cycled to the L20 and then on to the N110 motorway. Better that than slaloming around puddles all the time at 8km/h on soggy gravel roads.

In the city Demmin I dried up over a snack and a hot latte and was then able to continue, thankfully with milder rain that my clothes could better withstand.

Two kilometres before my final destination, I spotted a flock of at least 20 cranes on a vast, recently mown wheat field. What impressive animals!

In the end, I still got to my Warmshowers Foundation host Matthias to.

Who has a colourful and comfortable wagon cabin in his garden in which I was allowed to spend the night. Oh so much more comfortable than yesterday's wet tent! I feel very grateful

Due to the rain, no photos of the ride. My mobile phone was well packed in a waterproof pouch.

Tomorrow my last overnight stay in Germany. I am 60km from the Polish border at Świnoujście.

Matthias and his cabin car

July 24: Priemen-Kamminke (58 km)

What a difference from yesterday! Lovely weather today, not too much wind and the sun came through now and then.

Between Arrows and Anklam I followed a quiet regional road. In Anklam, it was time for a cappuccino, as I had not had coffee in the morning. Anklam is a Hanseatic town, but I had expected more of it.

The route after Anklam was fantastic. A largely car-free road through vast fields and polders up to the cycle ferry from Camp (€13), a picturesque marina village. I had time to have a quiet lunch on a bench at the jetty.

In the river was a large iron structure, a kind of bridge. During the crossing, the Polish boatman told me that this had been a lifting bridge of a railway line. The entire bridge was destroyed at the end of World War II. During the crossing, he gave me a book with the history of the lifting bridge.

Rail lift

Across the street in Karmin was a temptingly cosy little terrace, but I had already sat down enough.

The centre of Usedom (Uznam), the capital of the island on which I find myself, was cosy with a few pavement cafes, but I pedalled on.

Between Usedom and Camping Kamminke I followed a car-free cycle path. Very pleasant cycling, but the legs knew it. Motorways are levelled, but cycle paths follow the relief, and it was constantly going up and down as if you were riding from one bridge straight onto another.

One kilometre before the campsite, I noticed a cemetery hidden in the forest with a small memorial column for victims of the First World War. On each grave was an origami crane. Beautiful.

I closed the day with the 'Badestelle' in the lagoon of Szczecin. Mainly 'swimming steps' instead of actually swimming, because even at 300 metres from the shore, the water only reached to my waist.

Because of the rain, I cycled six days in a row, as there was nowhere to sit dry at the previous (rain) campsites.

Friday time for a rest day and Saturday I dive into Poland

. Wondering what it will be like there.

Car-free cycle path after Usedom (Uznam)

Via this link you will find the continuation of Bike Tour 2025: "From Antwerp to Tallinn".

Lama Tashi Norbu wishes me a prosperous journey with a puja (in 2022)

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