For those outdoor enthusiasts who consider hiking the mudflats of the Wadden Sea, it is essential to know that this is not just a worldly journey but a spiritual one. The entire Frisia Coast is, in a way, a spiritual belt, protecting the southern coast of the North Sea against northern darkness, according to early medieval sources. In October 1143, the bishop of Utrecht, Hartbert of Bierum – originating from Bierumen, a medieval ribbon settlement on the coast near the villages of Pietersbierum, Sexbierum, and Oosterbierum – expressed his amazement that so many relics of saints, apostles, martyrs, and virgins were being kept at these outer rims of the world. Therefore, before considering walking over the seabed from the coast to one of the Wadden Sea islands, read this blog post to have the real spiritual experience.
A Spiritual Outer Rim
The Book of Exodus describes how prophet Moses guides his people across the Red Sea after it is parted and the seabed is exposed, and everyone stays dry. Staying dry, just like Jesus when walking on the Sea of Galilee during a storm, is considered a divine sign during much of the Middle Ages (Arnold 2024). It seems like a unique and foregone experience, walking over a seafloor, but not for the Frisians. The Wadden Sea ebbs away twice a day, and, on a daily basis, people cross the seabed all the way to the barrier islands separating the Wadden Sea from the North Sea. A spiritual experience, nevertheless. But there is much more.
It is as Bishop Hartbert (died 1150) rightly noted, the outer rim of (former) Frisia is packed with religious sites. For starters, the dunes and adjacent geests (i.e., sandy soils), in what is today the provinces of Zuid and Noord Holland, both part of early-medieval Frisia, are rich in holy places, wells, and shrines that can be traced back to the earliest Anglo-Saxon missionaries arriving in this area at the end of the seventh century. Maybe it is an area of religious significance dating back to pagan times even.
The name of the village of Hargen in the province of Noord Holland, formerly West Frisia, derives from the Old Germanic word harguz and is comparable to the Old High German word harug, the Old Norwegian word hǫrgr, and the Old English word hearg. It means something like 'pagan sanctuary' or 'idol'. Also, along the coast, in the province of Zuid Holland, the old name of the village of Kethel used to be Harga (Van Renswoude 2021). In the southwest of the province of Friesland, the village of Harich exists.
And there is more along the coast of the province of Noord-Holland. Think of the former artificial cone-shaped mound at the village of Oesdom near the present village of Heiloo. But also the toponym Schepelenberg near the town of Heemskerk and the toponym Sommeltjesberg near the village of Den Burg on the Wadden Sea island of Texel were probably of religious significance, too. All three mounds, likely dating to the Bronze Age, have been excavated, alas. Proof again, by the way, that in the Netherlands, people prefer to have everything as flat as possible and get uneasy if it is not. Lastly, the name Heiloo itself might refer to an old pagan sanctuary, meaning something like 'holy open space in a forest' (Van Berkel & Samplonius 2018).
A bit more to the north, the Wadden Sea coastal zone is imbued with religious history as well. Today, nowhere in the world one can find as many high-medieval churches as in this part of former Frisia bordering the Wadden Sea coast. Stretching from the port town of Harlingen in the province of Friesland in the Netherlands, to the city of Wilhelmshaven in Landkreis Friesland in northern Germany. And then, on top of these Romanesque churches, once this area was peppered with a great many abbeys, monasteries, and other religious houses as well. Most of these, however, have been demolished after the arrival of Protestantism in the sixteenth century. Stone and Roman bricks sold for lots of money.
For hikers, it is instructive to know that in the provinces of Friesland and Groningen, more and more churches are being turned into refugios where pilgrims and hikers alike can stay the night for a small donation. Great initiative, we think! Good for hikers, good for heritage conservation. Check the website Santiago aan het Wad. Camino der Lage Landen ('Santiago at the Wadden Sea. Camino of the Low Countries'). The foundation that works on expanding the network of churches as refugios. Sleeping in a church adds to the spiritual experience, which this blog post is all about.
The north of the Netherlands, adjacent to the Wadden Sea, is also home to several pilgrimage trails. In the southwest of the province of Friesland, the Saint Odulf Path exists. Odulf was a ninth-century Frankish missionary who worked from the town of Stavoren. Stavoren itself, by the way, is an ancient place of heathen worship with temples and all, according to old legends that is. Read our blog post Stavoren. A balancer on a slack rope of religion, trade, land, water, Holland and Frisia to find more about Saint Odulf and Stavoren.
Then there is the journey of Abbot Emo, who travelled in the beginning of the thirteenth century from the village of Wittewierum in the northeast of the province of Groningen to Rome and the Vatican, and back again. An interesting detail is that Abbot Emo was the first foreign scholar to study at the University of Oxford in England. Lastly, we mention the Pieterpad trail. Yet another spiritually inspired track, this long-distance path is named after Saint Peter and starts at the small village of Pieterburen in the upper north of the province of Groningen at the Wadden Sea coast, running to Mount Saint Peter in the province of Limburg in the very south of the Netherlands. It is about 500 kilometers long.
Hiking the Mudflats
Entering the endless mudflats and the Wadden Sea seabed in general must be done with the greatest of care. This is an area that can be considered both sea and land, or, if you like, neither sea nor land. As mentioned, twice a day the seafloor is exposed during low tide. The difference between low and high tide is about two meters. Imagine, an area as large as about 10,000 square meters is emptied and filled twice a day. If you cannot imagine it, trust us it is massive. It happens with great force.
And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
Book of Matthew 14: 25
Finding your way on the seabed through the gullies and creeks at low tide, with a total lack of natural landmarks, is impossible without thorough and up-to-date knowledge of the area. Maps and GPS are of limited use, and Moses is not there to help you out anymore. So, you do not want to wander out there alone. It will mean certain death, because the tide will come. It is even forbidden by law to go alone. Indeed, if you want to hike to one of the Wadden Sea islands, you must do so with an official agent. With a licensed guide. We are not promoting rules and regulations, but this one we do support.
Although it puts pressure on the natural environment, hiking on the Wadden Sea is becoming ever more popular, so book far in advance. Licensed guides can be found all along the Wadden Sea coast between the town of Den Helder in the province of Noord Holland in the Netherlands and Esbjerg in the south of the region of Jutland in Denmark. Consult our blog post Walking on the Sea, experience it with care! to find some of their addresses.
One of the Frisian bastards of the Frisia Coast Trail hiked in the summer of 2020, in the month of August, on the Wadden Sea. The bastard walked to the island of Schiermonnikoog. His guide was Peter Rozema of Wadloopavonturen ('Wadden Sea walking adventures'), from the small village of Wehe-Den Horn in the northwest of the province of Groningen. As a licensed guide, one must be very experienced in walking in the area. Different regional government ordinances regulate the qualifications and examination of Wadden Sea guides. This means, among other things, having crossed the seabed to the island of Schiermonnikoog tens of times, being able to find your way without GPS and map, purely by sight. Besides finding your way in an almost beaconless landscape, guides are trained in safety, first aid, and environmental aspects, too.
The hike to the island of Schiermonnikoog is nicknamed Tocht der Tochten (‘hike of hikes’) since it is one of the longest walks of the Wadden Sea. The crossing is about twenty kilometers, and you will be walking on the flats for about five to six hours. Along the way, you must ford quite a number of gullies, several as deep as your chest. Six hours is almost exactly the time between low and high tide. This means you start at the break of dawn, when it is still not fully low tide.
The critical part of the trip is to ford the final deep gully close to the island of Schiermonnikoog, when the flood has started for a while already, but the gully is just fordable still. If you arrive too late at this final deep gully, you cannot ford it because the flood is already too high and the current too strong. Then you are trapped, because turning back to the mainland is hopeless. That would take about five hours, and by then the Wadden Sea is a full-fledged sea. It means a rescue team must be sent out to save the group from drowning. In other words, being reasonably fit is a pre-condition to participate in this route. Moreover, it underscores that a knowledgeable guide is not a luxury.
The Postman from Pellworm heroes twice – Heinrich Liermann (1882-1974) from the island of Pellworm, was postman for the Halligs: the salt-marsh islands of the Wadden Sea in the region of Nordfriesland in northern Germany. Delivering mail to the Halligs was done by walking the seabed at low tide. In 1917, Liermann started with his job as postman, and did this for forty-six years. It has been calculated he walked about 100,000 kilometers for his job. In summer, he walked barefoot. In winter, in heavy waterproof clothing. It was during the Second World War that he rescued two Canadian air force pilots from drowning. So, a hero twice!
Divine Signs
So far, for the worldly aspects. Now let’s turn to the spiritual signs which are so obvious once they have pointed out to you.
The first spiritual sign. You start walking just north of the village of Kloosterburen, not far from the village of Pieterburen ('Saint Peter neighbourhood'), said to be the start of the Pieterpad long-distance hiking trail. The name Kloosterburen is translated as 'cloister neighbourhood.’ Once, two Premonstratensian monasteries were located here. The oldest was founded in the second half of the twelfth century. It is, together with the monastery in the village of Ter Apel, one of the last strongholds of Catholicism in the province of Groningen after the arrival of Protestantism. The Anglo-Saxon monk Saint Willibrord, who did a lot of work in spreading the Gospel in Frisia at the end of the seventh century, albeit with limited success, is still worshiped in the village of Kloosterburen to this day.
Furthermore, we must mention the Hermitage of Our Lady of Garden Closed in the hamlet of Warfhuizen. Also nearby is the starting point of the hike to the island of Schiermonnikoog. The monk lives in the old church, which he has turned into a chapel open for visitors, as long as you are quiet. Hermits are a rarity today, especially when you consider that this monk lives in an otherwise Protestant environment. Really, a fascinating place, Warfhuizen and the church! Do visit it when you are in the hood.
Wadden Sea guide Peter Rozema lives in the village of Wehe-Den Horn, also located in this same area. The part wehe stems from the morpheme wîha meaning 'holy place, idol' or 'altar'. The Old English language has a similar word, namely wēoh, which can also be found in the epic poem Beowulf, for example. So, it is no coincidence but a clear spiritual sign, too. More place names in the Netherlands with the same etymology can be found. Think also of the village of Wijhe in the province of Overijssel, and of Herwen in the province of Gelderland, even further to the south in the Netherlands. The latter, Herwen, is composed of harh-wiha meaning 'temple' or 'consecrated sanctuary' (Kerkhof 2022). At Herwen, a unique, complete Roman temple complex has been found very recently (2022). Coincidence, you think?
Yet another sign that gives away the spiritual significance of this hike on the sea in the region is the size of the group that was guided by Peter Rozema. The maximum size of a group that may wander with a guide is twelve. That is no coincidence either, twelve being the holy number of the Twelve Disciples of Christ. When Saint Willibrord crossed the North Sea to Frisia around the year 690, he was part of a group of twelve monks. The famous fifth-century Voyage of Saint Brendan the Navigator likewise tells of Saint Brendan, who was also part of a group of twelve monks who set out to sea to preach the Gospel in foreign, unknown, and heathen lands. The oldest lighthouse of the Wadden Sea stands on the Wadden Sea island of Terschelling and is named after this saint, namely Brandaris. The Brandaris lighthouse dates to the end of the sixteenth century, which is truly old.
In other words, when you go out to sea to walk to the island of Schiermonnikoog, be mindful of the fact that you resemble the Twelve Disciples being guided by their Teacher. A guide who will steer his followers through hazards and dangers to the safety of dry land, like prophet Moses did before in the most ancient of times. And we still have not said anything yet about the parallels of the guide's first name, Peter, with Peter the Disciple, and his last name, Rozema, which corresponds with a Catholic rosary.
Enjoy your walk in the mire and on the oyster banks of the Wadden Sea. For sure, it will be a beautiful, thrilling experience — one of the world’s most unique day hikes! One that must be on your bucket list.
Note 1 – On November 11, 2021, which is the Catholic All Souls' Day, the gentle guide Peter Rozema passed away. Post-mortem, we would like to dedicate this blog post to him. The picture, with Peter walking on the seabed and explaining the 'trail', was already our cover and trademark and received even more meaning after his death. In 2024, the Frisia Coast Trail gave permission to Merk Friesland to print the photo for the promotion of the province. It can be viewed life-sized inside one of the local trains of company Arriva, named Zwarte Haan, in the north of the Netherlands.
Note 2 – For more pics of this hike over the sea, click this link.
Suggested hiking
Although the crossing to the island of Schiermonnikoog is called Tocht der Tochten, crossing to the island of Terschelling is also possible. This one is considered much tougher, and only allowed if you are in excellent condition. They will ask for it, and you must make reservation far in advance.
Further reading
Arnold, E.F., Medieval Riverscapes. Environment and Memory in Northwest Europe, c. 300-1100 (2024)
Berkel, van G. & Samplonius, K., Nederlandse plaatsnamen verklaard. Reeks Nederlandse plaatsnamen deel 12 (2018)
Eijnatten, van J. & Lieburg, van F., Nederlandse religiegeschiedenis (2006)
Jacobs, A., Friese Vorsten (2020)
Kamphof, J., Wadlopen naar Schiermonnikoog: avontuur in het Waddengebied (2020)
Karstkarel, P., Alle middeleeuwse kerken. Van Harlingen tot Wilhelmshaven (2007)
Karstkarel, P., Alle middeleeuwse kerken. In Friesland (2010)
Lasance, A., Wizo van Vlaanderen. Itinerarium Fresiae of Een rondreis door de Lage Landen (2012)
Middag, I. & Schuttevaar, C., St. Odulphuspad. Wandel in de voetsporen van de heilige Sint Odulphus en ontdek al het moois van Zuidwest-Friesland! (2018)
Mol, J.A., Vechten, bidden en verplegen. Opstellen over de ridderorden in de Noordelijke Nederlanden (2011)
Moolenbroek, van J., Nederlandse Kruisvaarders naar Damiate aan de Nijl. Acht eeuwen geschiedenis en fantasie in woord en beeld (2016)
Nijdam, J.A., ‘De gemaskerde Wizo: vervalsing, mystificatie of pastiche?’. Bespreking van: Wizo van Vlaanderen, Itinerarium Fresiae (2012)
Nijmeijer, B., Noord-Nederland is een schatkamer van oude kerkjes, maar ze worden in hun voortbestaan bedreigd (2020)
Penning, Y., Emo’s Labyrint (2010)
Renswoude, van O., Hof, harg en hal: het heten van heiligdommen (2021)
Rozema, P., Wadloopavonturen (website)
Schroor, M. (ed.), De Bosatlas van De Wadden (2018)
Schuyf, J., Heidense heiligdommen. Zichtbare sporen in een verloren verleden (2019)
Steensen, T., Nordfriesland. Menschen von A-Z (2020)
Teetied & Rosinenbrot (podcast), Wattwandern an der Nordsee! Worauf achtest du? (2021)
Thiers, O., ’t Putje van Heiloo. Bedevaarten naar O.L. Vrouw ter Nood (2005)
Vries, O., Asega, is het dingtijd? De hoogtepunten van de Oudfriese tekstoverlevering (2007)
Wiersma, J.P., Friesche sagen (1934)
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