W
e wanted to have a holiday
with a difference for our
30th wedding anniversary
and my husband certainly found us
one: the Wadden Islands—a stretch of
low lying islands off the coast of the
Netherlands. We planned a leisurely
cycling holiday in order to explore
several of the islands. This enabled us
to get a good feel for each of the three
islands we had chosen. We parked on
the mainland, saddled up and cycled
to the ferry port. First stop,
Terschelling. This was our favourite
island—it was really charming.
Further from the mainland than the
others, Terschelling dwellers have
learned to be resourceful. Their quaint
houses are often framed by fences
constructed of drift wood and strewn
with interesting finds from the beach.
It was bright, dry and sunny, but the
islands do get blown by a fierce off-
shore wind. Miles and miles of white
sandy beaches, perfect for quiet walks,
were usually deserted. The wetlands
and dunes are packed with plant and
bird life—a bird spotter’s paradise.
Then we were back to the mainland
to cycle to the next port. Ameland is
closer to the Netherlands and as a
result, sees quite a large number of
day trippers. There were camp sites
and hostels, obviously catering for
school parties and groups of mud flat
explorers. This meant that the towns
were busy. Still, it was easy to cycle for
just a few minutes and feel alone and
at one with nature again.
Schiermonikoog was our final
destination. Much smaller than the
other two—there is only one town—
and you actually can’t take your
vehicle on the island unless you live
there. The entire island is a National
Park, voted the most beautiful place in
the whole of the Netherlands. Since all
inhabitants and visitors share the
town, there was a real buzz about the
place. Would we recommend these
charming islands? Absolutely! But
time your visit carefully. Each island
boasts thousands of bikes to hire—
which suggests that at times the cycle
routes and villages are incredibly
busy. And there are only a few places
to stay, so book early to avoid
disappointment.Tell us about your favourite holiday (send
a photo too) and if we print it we’ll pay
£50. Email [email protected]My Great Escape:
Judith Stovell from Sheffield revels in the peaceful beauty of
the North Sea archipelago also known as the Wadden Islands98 • AUGUST 2019
TRAVEL & ADVENTURE
Unwinding in Wadden Islands