Wittenberge gives this short opening stage a clear start on the Elbe: brick architecture, railway heritage, harbour air and the wide river landscape of the Prignitz. Once out of town, the route quickly becomes quieter. It follows the dyke westwards, with views across meadows, floodplains, old river arms and the flat country of the Elbe-Brandenburg River Landscape Biosphere Reserve. Around Cumlosen, the former inner-German border adds a sharper layer to the scenery; this open cycling landscape was once a restricted zone. Towards Lütkenwisch, the Elbe stays close, sometimes visible, sometimes hidden behind dyke and trees. Unbesandten closes the day as a small village in the Lenzerwische: quiet, flat, close to the water and far from city noise.
