The Schleswig Geest (german: Schleswigsche Geest, da, Slesvigsk Gest, Midtslesvig or Midtsletten) lies between the North Frisian

Marsh A marsh is a wetland that is dominated by herbaceous rather than woody plant species.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p Marshes can often be found a ...

and

Schleswig-Holstein Uplands The Schleswig-Holstein Uplands or Schleswig-Holstein Morainic Uplands Dickinson, Robert E (1964). ''Germany: A regional and economic geography'' (2nd ed.). London: Methuen. . (German: ''Schleswig-Holsteinisches Hügelland'') is one of the three l ...

in the north of

Schleswig-Holstein Schleswig-Holstein (; da, Slesvig-Holsten; nds, Sleswig-Holsteen; frr, Slaswik-Holstiinj) is the northernmost of the 16 states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Sc ...

(

Southern Schleswig Southern Schleswig (german: Südschleswig or ', da, Sydslesvig; frr, Söödslaswik) is the southern half of the former Duchy of Schleswig in Germany on the Jutland Peninsula. The geographical area today covers the large area between the Eider ...

) in

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG),, is a country in Central Europe. It is the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany lies between the Baltic and North Sea to the north and the Alps to the sou ...

. To the south, it transitions into the Eider-Treene Depression.

Geest Geest is a type of landform, slightly raised above the surrounding countryside, that occurs on the plains of Northern Germany, the Northern Netherlands and Denmark. It is a landscape of sandy and gravelly soils formed as a glacial outwash plai ...

is one of the three landscape forms in Schleswig-Holstein. Its sandy soils contrast with the fertile soils of the marshes and hill country. The Schleswig Geest was settled in the 6th century by the

Danes Danes ( da, danskere, ) are a North Germanic ethnic group and nationality native to Denmark and a modern nation identified with the country of Denmark. This connection may be ancestral, legal, historical, or cultural. Danes generally regard ...

and

Jutes The Jutes (), Iuti, or Iutæ ( da, Jyder, non, Jótar, ang, Ēotas) were one of the Germanic tribes who settled in Great Britain after the departure of the Romans. According to Bede, they were one of the three most powerful Germanic nation ...

. The Ochsenweg ("Ox Road"), one of the most important communication arteries in the North European region, runs through the Schleswig Geest. The so-called Geest Ridge (''Geestrücken'') was the best strip of land for a north-south route. Whilst the marsh was too soft and wet for long-distance roads on which to move cattle and armies, the

Angeln Anglia ( German and Low German: ''Angeln''; Danish and South Jutlandic: ''Angel''; ang, Engla land) is a small peninsula on the eastern coast of Jutland (the Cimbric Peninsula). Jutland consists of the mainland of Denmark and the northern ...

was just too hilly.

Sources

* Jochen Missfeldt: ''Die Geest'' (in "Deutsche Landschaften") S. Fischer Verlag, Natural regions of Germany Regions of Schleswig-Holstein Geest {{SchleswigHolstein-geo-stub