The landscape in Lower Saxony is relatively flat. The only climbs you can expect on the route between East Frisia and Cuxland are the short crossings that lead over the dykes. The route runs inland for a few kilometres south of the Elbe between Cuxhaven and Hamburg. Here, the route climbs up briefly to around 30 metres above sea level in Wingst as a result of the Wesermünde Geest landscape. With the exception of a stretch between Althemmoor and Stade, where you will find the only longer stretches of unpaved road, the North Sea Cycle Route runs on tarmac cycle paths or small roads. What's great about the route is that you often cycle along the dyke and always have the North Sea coast and the Wadden Sea nearby. The short detours and shortcuts through the hinterland of the dyke also add variety and reveal the diversity of the region.

The route is mainly characterised by flat coastal terrain, where the only gradients worth mentioning are the short dyke ascents. To add a touch of variety, the route also runs slightly off the coast, inland. This part of the route conveys a unique feeling of freedom thanks to the incredible expanse and northern German landscape. The quality of the North Sea Cycle Route in Schleswig-Holstein is outstanding. It runs along the dyke, on cycle paths alongside roads and on quiet country lanes or minor roads through the region. You will rarely have to negotiate roads with heavy traffic. A very small number of short stretches (less than 500 metres) are designated as pushing sections as they are unpaved. One further note: there may be obstacles, dirt and unevenness typical of dykes, e.g. debris, sheep droppings, sheep enclosures and occasional potholes.