EXPERIENCING NATURE

Fine sandy beaches in the west, a wide expanse of tidal mudflats to the east. Idyllic countryside between dunes and dykes. Lush green meadows, flowering heathland, and imposing cliffs. Sylt’s scenery is as varied as it is charming, a true paradise for hikers as well as for numerous species of animals and plants. To preserve its unique landscapes, nearly half of the island has been classified a conservation area or nature reserve.

The Wadden Sea lining Sylt’s east coast is one of the island’s most fascinating landscapes. Obeying the rhythm of the tides, the living conditions of the plants and animals inhabiting this zone change every few hours. The up to 8,000-year-old sand dunes are equally typical of this coastal landscape. At about 57 yards above sea level, the Uwe Dune near Kampen is the island’s highest. List’s two big shifting dunes, moved by about five and a half yards by the wind every year, are another landmark.

Of Sylt’s four cliffs towering over the beaches of Kampen, Morsum, Wenningstedt and Keitum, Morsum’s is especially beautiful. It boasts three between 3- and 8-million-year-old strata side by side, a geological formation unique in the whole of Europe.

In late summer, Sylt is a purple glow: the heather is in bloom. Fifty percent of Schleswig-Holstein’s heather grows on the island.

The exhibitions and guided tours organized by Sylt’s nature centres provide deeper insights into Sylt’s ecosystem. An experience of a special kind awaits visitors to the Sylt Aquarium, teeming with more than 150 species of fish, both native and exotic.