<h2 class="RegionName"> Wattenmeer National Park </h2> (Schleswig holstein) Schleswig-Holstein’s Wattenmeer National Park is part of an expansive network that stretches down the coast into Hamburg and Lower Saxony. The Watt refers to the mud—miles and miles of it—that sustains a wide variety of unique plant and animal life. Walking across the flats is surreal. Twice daily, the ocean retreats, exposing miles and miles of walkable sea floor to the open air. The region is filled to the brim with small town “health resorts” that capitalize on the invigorating salt-laden air circulating through the region and the supposed curative properties of the mud. The park is full of distinctive features, like the tiny Halligen islands, where houses built on mounds become their own tiny islands when the island floods (up to 20 times per year.) Below ground, the tidal flats contain a higher animal biomass than tropical forests. The Wattenmeer National Park witnesses a seasonal migration of birds and tourists alike, with resort towns more than tripling in population during the summer. <div class="
 Highlights
 "> <h4>Wattenmeer National Park At A Glance</h4> <ul> <li>Area: 4400 sq. km </li> <li>Climate: Mild, yet often relatively chilly summers, wet winters. Windy year-round. </li> <li>Features: Sandy beaches, the wild Wattenmeer mud flats, grassy dunes, historical towns, health spas. </li> <li>Highlights: Free guided Watt hikes, extensive network of bicycle paths, incredible birdwatching, and endless beaches. </li> <li>Gateways: Tönning, St. Peter-Ording. </li> <li>Camping: Not allowed within the park, but common on its fringes. </li> </ul> </div> <h4 class="City-1Ikon ikon_111">Orientation</h4> Wattenmeer National Park stretches along Schleswig Holstein’s western coast, situated on the North Sea. Tönning (p. 203), in the central region of the park, is a good place to collect information before you begin exploring. Twenty-five kilometers to the west, the resort town of St. Peter-Ording (p. 204) affords the most unique park experience. The spectacular beach extends for miles—both on either side and out towards the water during low tide. To the northwest, the North Frisian Islands including Sylt and Amrum peek out of the sea, with beautiful white sand beaches on their western shores and wide stretches of Wattenmeer tidal flats on their sheltered eastern sides. <div class="Ikonbox"><ul> <li>What Is The Watt? Created by the radical fluctuation of tides, the Wattenmeer is an area of mudflats stretching along the North Sea from the Dutch to the Danish coasts. The Watt is classified into three unique bands: the Sandwatt, as its name suggests, includes the sandy part of the shore where sea worms burrow to hide from predatory birds. Farther inland, the Mischwatt, a bank of mixed sand and mud, teems with species from bacteria to mussels. Extending to the highest water line is the charcoal-black Schlickwatt, where only the most resilient organisms live in the oxygen-poor mud that is marketed to health-seekers as a nutrient-rich skin treatment. A relatively rare ecosystem, the Wattenmeer habitat supports some 3200 different types of animals. Among the most visible are the mussels that filter the ocean water, the fish that stock the plankton-rich waters with their eggs, the birds that feast at low tide on creatures trapped in shallow pools, and the seals that frolic on sandbanks just offshore. </li> </ul> </div> <h4 class="City-2Ikon ikon_116 ikon_105">Transportation And Practical Information</h4> Trains provide easy access to nearly all towns and sights along the coast. Most trains within the greater Wattenmeer National Park area are NOB (Nord-Ostsee-Bahn) regional trains; tickets for these can be purchased onboard. Hourly trains shuttle between St. Peter Ording and Husum, stopping in Tönning. Bus connections are less frequent and less extensive than train connections. Though most tourist offices address transportation, the region’s bus terminals often lack information centers, so plan ahead and inquire about bus routes in town or decipher the posted schedules on your own. <ul class="Listings"> <li> Emergency: Police ☎<a href="tel:110" class="PhoneNumber">110</a>. Fire ☎<a href="tel:112" class="PhoneNumber">112</a>. </li> <li> Information Centers: Schutzstationen (protection stations) are on each of the islands and in major mainland coastal towns. The staff offer guided tours of the Watt and information on local plant and animal life, including extensive brochures on the how-tos of birdwatching. (See city listings for locations and contact info.) Additionally, information pavilions—part of the Besucherinformationenssystem (BIS) —are at the beginning of many paths in the region. Contact the Wattenmeer Information Line (☎<a href="tel:04681 962 00" class="PhoneNumber">04681 962 00</a>; www.wattenmeer-nationalpark.de) for further details. </li> <li> Boat Tours: Adler-Schiffe (☎<a href="tel:04842 90 00 30" class="PhoneNumber">04842 90 00 30</a>; www.adler-schiffe.de) leads 2½hr. seal bank trips (€12-17.50), while Reederei Rahder (☎<a href="tel:04834 36 12" class="PhoneNumber">04834 36 12</a>; www.rahder.de), conducts 2½hr. tours from Ankerplatz in Büsum to the seal habitat in Dithmarschen (Adults €16, children €9.50. Open Mar.-Oct. 9am-6pm. Tours at 10:30am, 2pm, and 5:30pm.) </li> </ul> <h4 class="City-1Ikon ikon_97">Accommodations</h4> Youth hostels dot the North Sea coast. In addition to the hostels described in the city listings, other HI hostels in the region are listed here (prices are per night and exclude Kurkarte; over age 26 add €3-4): <ul class="Listings"> <li> Büsum, Dr.-Martin-Bahr-Str. 1, Büsum (☎<a href="tel:04834 933 71" class="PhoneNumber">04834 933 71</a>). €17.35. </li> <li> Heide, Poststr. 4, Heide, on Holstein Island (☎<a href="tel:0481 715 75" class="PhoneNumber">0481 715 75</a>). €15.85. </li> <li> Husum, Schobüller Str. 34, Husum (☎<a href="tel:04841 27 14" class="PhoneNumber">04841 27 14</a>). €16.85. </li> <li> Niebüll-Deezbüll, Deezbüll Deich 2, Niebüll (☎<a href="tel:04661 93 78 90" class="PhoneNumber">04661 93 78 90</a>). €17.35. </li> <li> Niebüll-Mühlenstraße, Mühlenstr. 65, Niebüll (☎<a href="tel:04661 93 78 90" class="PhoneNumber">04661 93 78 90</a>). €17.35. </li> </ul> <div class="Ikonbox"><ul> <li>Watt Safety. Let’s Go does not recommend hiking the Watt without a guide. Tour guides are familiar with tidal patterns, and can steer you away from dangerous quicksand. Always heed markings: orange balls forbid entrance, yellow flags warn that a sandbank will be submerged at high water, and green flags encourage caution at high tide. Watch for protected sanctuaries, and be alert to changing tides. Many seemingly benign activities like shell collecting are legal only extremely close to shore. Though much of the Schleswig-Holstein Wattenmeer is barefoot-friendly during the summer, sharp mussels proliferate Lower Saxony, so select footwear appropriately. </li> </ul> </div> <h4 class="City-1Ikon ikon_122">Outdoor Activities</h4> Wattwandern (Watt Hikes). When the tides ebb, the mud flats of the Watt become exposed, making it possible to walk across areas usually populated by fish. To arrange a tour, call the National Park Service (☎<a href="tel:04681 962 00" class="PhoneNumber">04681 962 00</a>) or a nearby Schutzstation. Private companies also offer tours. Adler-Schiffe leads walks across the Watt between the islands of Amrum and Föhr. The 2hr. trip departs from Nordstrand, near Husum, and includes the cost of ferry rides to and from the islands. (☎<a href="tel:04842 900 00" class="PhoneNumber">04842 900 00</a> or pick up a brochure to see the schedule. www.adler-schiffe.de. €18, children €12.50.) Reederei Rahder (see Boat Tours, p. 202) offers 1½-2hr. guided hikes of the Watt in the vicinity of Büsum, leaving from Ankerplatz. (€6, children €3, families €15. Ask the tourist office for a schedule.) If you insist on striking out independently, pick up a tide chart and seek advice from one of the information centers to avoid racing a rising tide. Beaches And Swimming. Most costal towns levy fees called Kurtaxe for beach access. The cost varies, but is generally €1.50-3 per day, €0.50-1 for children. Hotels and pensions in the area automatically add the cost of the Kurkarte to your bill. Guests not staying overnight can purchase day cards granting beach access for roughly the same cost. Swimming is allowed at all beaches in the park not reserved for surfing, although the water can be uncomfortably cool year-round. The plentiful nude beaches are labeled FKK Strand, denoting the Freier Körper Kultur (Free Body Culture) association. Hiking And Biking. Biking is an incredibly popular and effective way to explore the park, both on the mainland and the islands. The park has a broad network of paved and gravel trails, and the powerful North Sea wind can send you flying along at exhilarating speeds or slow your progress to a painful crawl. For information on renting bikes, see individual town listings. Hiking trails crisscross the park and environs—visit local information centers for maps.

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