On Terschelling, the importance of nature is especially clear at the Boschplaat: the Wadden Sea, the Boschplaat salt marshes and the vast Noordsvaarder are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. On the eastern side of the island, the Boschplaat is also designated a European nature conservation area. Thousands of birds nest there each year; in spring and autumn, hundreds of thousands of migratory birds use the area as a stopover.
Nature Between Mudflats, Dunes and Forest
Terschelling’s landscape encompasses extensive beaches and dunes as well as forests, heathland and polders. By bike, it takes about 15 minutes to get from the forest to the dunes and from the heathland to the beach. The size of the trail network is also worth noting: Terschelling has 70 kilometres of cycle paths and 200 kilometres of unpaved walking trails.
There are more than 100 kilometres of bridleways for riding through heathland, forests, dunes and polders, and along the beach. Local access restrictions may vary. During the breeding season, the Boschplaat is closed, but you can explore it by horse-drawn carriage. Check before your trip whether this option is currently available.
A Festival and Routes with Different Themes
The Oerol Festival takes place on Terschelling every June and lasts about ten days. Its programme includes site-specific theatre, street theatre, music, visual art, storytelling and discussions. The festival spans the island from east to west and from the dike to the beach. Exact dates and venues, as well as the programme, may vary; if you are planning to attend Oerol, check the details for the relevant year.
The routes also focus on different themes. The 7-kilometre Atlantikwall Bunker Route is a walking route, partly suitable for cycling. It leads to bunkers in the dunes, bomb craters in the forest, and former radar installations and observation posts. In West-Terschelling, it passes the de Tigerstelling Bunker Museum. The Art and Monuments Route, by contrast, is a 38-kilometre cycling route to statues, memorials and artworks in the landscape. It starts at the harbour of West-Terschelling and takes you through the island’s history, culture and creativity.
Lighthouse and Museums
The Brandaris is the oldest lighthouse in the Netherlands still in operation; it took its current form in 1594. Another point of interest at the harbour of West-Terschelling is the Tonnenloods, a visitor centre for nature, culture and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Wadden Sea. It is right by the Wadden Sea and about a five-minute walk from the ferry arrival terminal. Check the latest terminal information for your arrival. Exhibitions and the programme at the Tonnenloods may change.
The ’t Behouden Huys Museum tells, among other stories, of Anthon van Rappard and his friendship with Vincent van Gogh, the sinking of the Lutine, and Willem Barentsz’s expedition to Nova Zembla. Since the 1990s, the museum has also housed two original nails and a few pieces of wood; their display may change. The themes bring together art and island history with stories of seafaring and expeditions.
Cranberries and Seasonal Treats
The 33-kilometre Route of Red Gold takes you by bike through dunes, forests and heathland, where cranberries have been growing since 1868. Along the way are cranberry fields, old cranberry sheds and information points about the island berry’s cultivation, harvest and processing. This makes it thematically different from the Art and Monuments Route, which focuses on statues, memorials and artworks.
A culinary cycling tour on Terschelling offers opportunities to pick fruit in late summer or autumn and to sample oysters on the mudflats. The cranberry harvest opens in October. As these are seasonal offerings, availability and exact arrangements may vary; find out what is currently available before your trip.
Water Sports on Terschelling
There are suitable spots for kitesurfing, surfing, windsurfing and stand-up paddleboarding. Conditions, providers and the availability of lessons may vary by season. This makes it easy to plan a trip around different interests: nature and birdlife, culture and history, a cycling tour or activities on the water.
Discover more destinations: West-Terschelling, Lies, Midsland, Hoorn Terschelling, Baaiduinen, Formerum, Oosterend Terschelling, Terschelling, Kinnum.
For the overview of the wider region: Friesland.
