On Föhr, the tides set the pace: the island lies at the heart of the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park landscape and offers a nature experience that visitors can enjoy in every season. On guided mudflat walks, you can observe lugworms, mussels, starfish and wading birds. The Föhr National Park House also features exhibitions about habitats in the tidal zone and birds, as well as the formation of the island. Exhibits include a harbour porpoise skeleton and mussels.
Discover the mudflats and nature in more detail
Many of the Wadden Sea Conservation Station’s activities start at the Föhr National Park House. These include guided nature walks across the mudflats, detective rallies and evening beach walks. If you would like to attend a particular event, check the dates in advance. Another special tour leads from Dunsum on Föhr to the northern tip of the neighbouring island of Amrum: the mudflat walk is about eight kilometres long. Tides and weather conditions must be planned for separately on this route.
The bird decoys are also part of the island’s natural history. Of the five bird decoys still in existence on Föhr, only the Boldixum bird decoy is open to visitors. This provides a clear point of reference if you would like to explore this part of the island’s history.
Explore cycling routes and themed trails
Föhr has more than 200 kilometres of designated cycling paths and five themed routes for cycling tours. One 21-kilometre tour links cultural highlights with an internationally renowned art museum. The approximately eleven-kilometre Planet Trail runs from Wyk to Utersum and introduces visitors to astronomy and the natural sciences. The routes each have a different focus: one highlights culture and art, while another offers a look at the planets and natural sciences.
The Frisian Cathedral offers another perspective on the island: St. John’s Church, dating from the 12th century, is the largest church on Föhr and is also known as the Frisian Cathedral. Near Borgsum lies Lembecksburg. A moat and a circular rampart are still visible there; the rampart is up to ten metres high and nearly 100 metres in diameter. The hillfort dates back to the Viking Age.
Museums, language and island traditions
The Museum Kunst der Westküste focuses on the sea and the coast; its survey of important German and Scandinavian artists spans the years 1830 to 1930. In the centre of Wyk, the Dr. Carl Häberlin Frisian Museum offers insights into Frisian history and culture. If you’re interested in the island’s language, around 3,000 islanders still speak Fering, the Frisian language of Föhr.
The King’s Ring Riding tradition also plays an important role on the island. Föhr has four ring-riding clubs, each of which holds a King’s Ring Riding event. Dates vary from year to year, so check the dates if you would like to attend an event.
In Oldsum, Inselfein makes jams and fruit spreads, mustard, fine mustard sauces and spicy fruit sauces. Fresh ingredients are used, and everything is made entirely by hand. If you’d like to discover local products, learning about their production adds to the impressions you can take away from the island’s nature, culture and history.
Enjoy the water and plan your journey
The swimming pools at the AQUAFÖHR wave pool are filled with heated, original North Sea water. In the large pool, the wave function creates North Sea waves every half hour; operating hours may vary. Watersports schools on Föhr offer courses for beginners and advanced participants in windsurfing, kiteboarding, stand-up paddleboarding and sailing. Alongside exploring the mudflats, there are also plenty of activities to enjoy on the water.
Föhr can only be reached by ship or by air. The W.D.R. catamaran is chartered to its partner Adler-Schiffe and provides a fast passenger connection between Föhr, Amrum and Dagebüll. Timetables and availability may change; check the latest information before planning your journey.
Discover more destinations: Süderende, Wrixum, Wyk on Föhr, Utersum, Oevenum, Dunsum, North Sea spa resort of Nieblum, Alkersum, Oldsum, Borgsum, Midlum, Witsum.
Return to the main travel overview: Schleswig-Holstein.
