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Dieren en planten

Animals   Plants   Flora on tidal flats   Fauna in tidal areas   Benthic fauna   Fish   

Water en land

Coastal areas   Tidal flats and shallows   Biotope   

Mens en Milieu

Nature recreation   Wadlopen   
Wadden hikers, Ecomare

Wadlopen (hiking the tidal flats) in the Netherlands

By hiking the tidal flats, one experiences them as they really are. Muddy, wet and especially impressive. In the hours around low tide, a trip over the flats is made under guidance. An island can be reached when starting from certain places on the mainland. Where that is not possible, a straying trip is set out.

  • Risky
    Tidal-flat excursion with a guide, Ecomare

    Wadlopen has a long tradition in the wadden region. However, it is not totally without risks. One can sink into the mud at some places. The tides can also pose a danger when one departs too late. Due to these hazards and due to the disturbance of the birds and seals which can occur during wadlopen, one is only allowed to walk the flats under guidance. The guides belong to the 'Wadloop' organizations, which organize a large number of trips every year.

    In addition to real wadlopen, which can mean walking more than 10 kilometers, there are also excursions on the flats. On every Wadden Island, the visitors centres offer possibilities to walk a section of the tidal flats with a guide. During the excursion, an explanation is given about the origin of the flats, the dynamics of the area and the plants and animals which are found there. In addition, attention is paid to the threats for the Wadden Sea.

  • Hiking mud flats in the Netherlands

    The number of 'wad hikers' has been limited since 1972. This was first done on a voluntary basis, and since 1986 based upon the provincial 'Wadloop' ordinance. This ordinance has been tightened up since March 1996. By means of a licensing system, only the seven official 'wadloop' organizations in the Netherlands are now allowed to organize trips. The guides must fulfil the strict training demands. In total, no more than 50,000 people are allowed to partake in 'wadloop' trips per year. Even the size of the group has been limited. The organizations with an A license are allowed groups of no more than 50 to no more than 70 (depending on the destination) participants. The B license holders (independent guides) are allowed to guide up to twelve people on the tidal flats. People with a C license are only allowed to walk alone.

  • Ultra mud flats hikes
    Crossing a gully , Ecomare

    The hike Texel-Vlieland is an extremely difficult hike. The distance as the bird flies is only three kilometers, but to walk there takes ten times as long because the deep areas between the islands must be avoided. The hike made by Kees Wevers and Eduard Verhoef in March 2003 was the 12th successful journey since 1962. They took eight hours and fifteen minutes to walk the nearly thirty kilometers. In October 2005, Wiepke Toxopeus, Roelof Mulder and Fedde Knol walked the route in ten hours. Wiepke is the second female to successfully complete the hike. She trained for three years. Hikers walk for more than four hours in water up to their chests. Another ultra hike is from Borkum to the mainland. The first successful 25-kilometer hike was in 2005, made by Menno de Leeuw and Frank Hensel.