Frisia Coast Trail.com

This hike covers four countries, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark. Or in the old regions: West Flanders, Zeeland, Holland and Westfriesland, Friesland, Groningen, Ostfriesland, Butjadingen, Land Wursten, Land Hadeln, Elbe marsches, Dithmarschen, Nordfriesland, and South Jutland.

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This stretch of Europe always has been a rough and dangerous place to live. Land and sea have been rolling dices for ages. Lakes emerged, rivers changed course, islands walk in the sea, dunes vanish to emerge somewhere else, man-made villages washed away overnight, dykes were breached by the wild sea.

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​Living low, at sea level is not easy. Certainly not when sea levels have a tendency to drop and rise over time. She is such a diva.

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This hike will bring 2,000 years of coastal history in 1,000 miles. Trust us, not one century this landscape has been the same.

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In that period many people settled in this rough coastal area. Others were just passing by, e.g. the Cannifates, the Batavians, the Chauci, the Angles, the (Old) Saxons, the Jutes, the Geats, the Romans, the Salian Franks, the Vikings, the French, the Spanish, the Germans, etc., etc.

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Oh yes, and the Frisians. Some Frisians moved on to Belgium and England, the region of Kent and the Fenlands. Others stayed in this stretch of coastline and mingled with the ones passing by.

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Since the two of us are part of the stayers, we are genuine bastards, having drops of blood from all of the peoples named above. But we do not torch houses​!

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