I’ve had the idea of riding the Hackenpedder route for a while now, especially as it’s right on my doorstep and is a wonderful training and preparation route for the challenges of the year.
The Hackenpedder is available in a 1,000 km version and a short version of around 680 km.
I opted for the short version and the good weather and a long weekend at the beginning of March were perfect for testing the route, my bike and myself. In short: my personal opening weekend.
Stage 0: Halstenbek – Kuden (93 km)
I started at home in the late afternoon and wanted to do a few kilometres before it got dark and, above all, cold. At this time of year, the still quite short days and the temperature differences between day and night are a challenge.
But I made good progress and reached the Elbe at dusk, rolling past the spooky-looking Brokdorf nuclear power plant a little later. It was generally quite dark here, lacking the light pollution of a big city. But that also made cycling very lonely. Nevertheless, I loved cycling through the darkness with only the cone of light in front of me.
After the Elbe, the track took me back inland to the Kiel Canal. Here I took the ferry and then cycled along the northern side of the canal to Kuden, where a Wildes Schleswig-Holstein overnight stop was waiting for me at an old pumping station.
This was located above the canal and I was the only one staying there. I pitched the tent and then quickly fell asleep.
Stage 1: Kuden – Bungsberg (227 km)
At this time of year, it is advisable to camp as high up as possible, as it is usually very cold down in the hollows and small valleys. And that’s exactly how it was in Kuden: my camp site was quite warm and dry. A few metres further on, the meadow hollows were covered in a light frost in the first light of day.
These temperature differences of up to minus 1 degree at night and up to 16 degrees during the day and sunshine are of course also a challenge for the right clothing. I was wearing a long bib, with gaiters for my shoes as additional protection against the wind and cold. On top I had a base layer, a merino cycling shirt, arm warmers, a waistcoat and then the rain jacket over it. That was warm enough during the ride. During the day, I took off the rain jacket and sometimes the gilet too. I had a down jacket with me for the evening when setting up camp, which I also slept in.
My sleeping set-up was also geared towards low temperatures and physical exhaustion: Tent, TAR NeoAir sleeping pad, Cumulus LiteLine 400 sleeping bag and Sea to Summit Reactor liner.
It was still dark when I set off again at 5.30am. The track continued with a few loops along the canal to the Stone Age village of Albersdorf. There is also a nice place to spend the night there, but it was covered in frost in the morning sun. Good thing I had slept in Kuden. Here in Albersdorf, the route split and you either continue on the 1,000 kilometre loop north towards Denmark, or cross here to the east towards Kiel.
I took the shortcut and cycled along country lanes and through forests to Kiel. I hadn’t actually planned to ride to the official start/finish point of the Hackenpedder, the Velo Centre Kiel, but unfortunately my crank came a little loose and so I gladly accepted the wonderful service of the Velo Centre and filled up with water at the same time. Thanks again!
It was now lunchtime and the sun was shining. Time for a break, during which I tried to eat something. And there was my problem again, that I can’t eat any more when I’m under more pressure. And with a calorie consumption of 9-10,000 Kcal per day, this eventually causes problems. But I was still keeping my head above water with wine gums, gels, cocoa and iced tea.
The crank was halfway repaired (in the end it was the bearing) and so I set off on the first section of the Hackenpedder Route 2025, which led 200 kilometres from Kiel to Lübeck. With the Baltic Sea cliffs and some hills and somewhat wilder track sections, it is also one of the most challenging.
I reached the cliffs on the Baltic Sea at dusk. But no matter what time of day: it’s really beautiful here and even though I’ve been here many times by bike, it’s always a special experience. As night fell, it got colder again. But I still wanted to reach my destination, the Bungsberg. At 167 metres high, it is Schleswig-Holstein’s Mt Everest and when I got up there at around 9 pm, I was all alone.
There was something spooky about standing under this huge radio tower with its red signal lights shining into the night. I found an open toilet with water and a few metres further on I pitched my tent between a few huts.
Stage 2: Bungsberg – Lauenburg (229 km)
After another warm night (because I was up on the mountain), I rolled back down the Bungsberg in the darkness of the new day. The next stop was supposed to be Lübeck and shortly after that Checkpoint 1, which of course wasn’t open, but is only open in summer at the official Hackenpedder time.
The kilometres there led through the beautiful Holstein Switzerland, which will be even more impressive in summer. I had breakfast in the beautiful town of Eutin and with the sun came the warmer temperatures and warmed me up.
The Hackenpedder route leads directly past the city gate in Lübeck, before it then leads through a bumpy meadow landscape (Wakenitz Niederung), you cross the Autobahn on a wild bridge and then reach the checkpoint at Ratzeburger See. For me, it was time to continue and many small villages and forests later I reached Zarrentin. Unfortunately, my plan to replenish my supplies at the local supermarket didn’t work out, as contrary to all the information I had been given, they don’t close until 9pm, but at 2pm.
However, the petrol station around the corner came to the rescue with a good old (or fresh) bockwurst (BoWu!). Welcome to Germany! Thus fortified, I was looking forward to the former inner-German border area ahead of me.
The first two stages of the Hackenpedder are not to be underestimated and are the real queen stages: first 200 km with lots of hills and tracks, followed by the 100 km long wild and quite lonely section to the Elbe, which repeatedly follows the former border between the GDR and West Germany.
I had been here many times before and was therefore looking forward to the route. My goal was to reach Boizenburg at the Elbe River at dusk. The route rolled quite well, lots of tarmac, interspersed with bumpy sections of track. At the former border itself there was a lot of sandy track and forest paths, combined with a visit to the memorial to Michael Gartenschläger, who was ambushed here by GDR border guards and the Stasi and killed with 120 shots.
At some point, the track spat me out again before Boizenburg and after a bit of potholing I rolled into Boizenburg in the remaining light of the day. Here I had some chips before rolling the 20 kilometres to Lauenburg and on to the rest stop above the Elbe.
I already knew it from a Hackenpedder Overnighter last year, so I set up camp for the night and slept on the table this time.
Stage 3: Lauenburg – Halstenbek (89 km)
During the night, the temperatures dropped even lower and in the morning I realised how much the last two days, with over 220 km, had sapped my strength. But now I was heading home towards Wittensee, where checkpoint 3 is actually located. I cycled the first 80 kilometres of the route, crossed the Sachsenwald forest and then turned west north of Hamburg. I know these areas through which the Hackenpedder now leads very well, as it is my training area. And as I was travelling faster than expected, I wanted to spend the rest of Sunday with my family.
So I finished my Hackenpedder 2025 spring ride after 640 kilometres.
Conclusion: Basic test successful. Martin broken. Hackenpedder great.
I realised just how much it had taken out of my body by my numb little finger (again!), aching palms (you can’t underestimate the length of the slopes and bumpy paths – even with a suspension fork) and a lot of tiredness after the end, even though I had slept a lot.
The temperatures and the still quite short periods of daylight were definitely exhausting, although they were much better than in December and January. In any case, I have noticed that my strength and muscles are back on track thanks to a better protein supply. I had a protein deficiency and am currently working like a pumper to rebuild my muscles.
The bike has come through it well so far. The front brake pads were then worn through. And the crank was loose. But during the subsequent inspection, I realised that the bottom bracket was through and that there was probably some play. I have now replaced it and everything is tight and running smoothly again.
In any case, this endurance test was a good reminder of what I shouldn’t do: too few breaks, too much pressure on the pedals, too little food, wanting too much. I can ride 700-800 kilometres at this pace, but then I’m soon finished. So it’s not ideal for really long distances. That’s why I have to set myself up differently for longer distances this year, slow down a bit more mentally and take a less dogged view of the whole thing. The next test is in May. Then I can do it smarter.
However, the Hackenpedder is definitely recommended. It’s a really great tour in summer, when everything is in bloom, green and full of life. And above all, the days are warmer and longer.
Above all, the Hackenpedder route is a good mix of challenge and enjoyment. And what I particularly like is that there are no unnecessary difficulties or detours.
The Hackenpedder always remains fair and feasible. This makes the whole route a nice alternative to other, more performance-orientated events of the year.
