- 2: 32 pm
- 10,04 km
- 27 m
- 27 m
- 1 m
- 27 m
- 26 m
- Start: List Harbour/ Natural Forces Adventure Center
- Destination: List Harbour/ Natural Forces Adventure Center
The Listland tour in the north of the island offers a diverse glimpse into Sylt's protected nature and landscapes over a distance of approximately 10 km. Passing mudflats and salt marshes along the Königshafen harbor, you reach the west beach, where a viewing dune offers a wonderful panoramic view. With a bit of luck, you might even spot porpoises in the sea from the beach! A boardwalk leads through the dune landscape with heathland and views of the unique shifting dunes back to List. Along the way, there are numerous opportunities for birdwatching.
The tour can also be done in 2 stages (from List along the mudflats to the west beach or from the west beach through the dunes to List) or in the opposite direction.
The nature experience continues north of Sylt: Discover the neighboring Danish island of Rømø on your next tour! Take the ferry from List to Havneby and start the tour "Along the Beach from Havneby to Lakolk" right at the harbor.
Good to know
Path surfaces
Best Season
Directions
Start your hike at the Natural Forces Adventure Center in List. If you haven't visited the center yet, be sure to come back for another visit!
Follow the promenade, which after a few meters turns into a sandy path and leads you towards the Mövenbergdeich. Along the sandy path, you'll pass the wood-clad Alfred Wegner Institute, a research facility for marine and polar research that has been studying the Wadden Sea for around 100 years.
The trail continues over a fortified dike with views of Königshafen – a natural mudflat bay – and from there, several sand spits and the vegetated Uthörn peninsula. With the right equipment, this is one of the best birdwatching opportunities on Sylt.
Continue walking to the end of the dike and keep right. Passing the youth hostel on your left, you'll see the salt marshes at the end of Königshafen on your right.
Directly behind the checkpoint for the "Elbow," the paved path continues up to the first viewing point. Tolls are only charged for those arriving by car. From here, you can also explore the Elbow on foot or by bike for free. However, walking around it is a tour in itself and should not be underestimated.
Up at the vantage point, you can enjoy a fantastic view of Königshafen, the Weststrand, the entire Ellenbogen, and the surrounding dune landscape. From here, you can walk down to the beach. Remember to bring your tourist card! Those visiting the island as day visitors can take a Day guest card magazine.
Stroll south, enjoy the salty breeze, and look for beach finds along the water's edge! After the detour to the beach, take the next dune crossing and follow the road east.
As an alternative to the beach trip, you can walk directly from the viewing dune along the road to the West Beach car park. From April to October, you can take the Line 1 (“Beach traffic”) to continue to Westerland or change at the “Westerheide/Blidsel” stop and return to List.
Another alternative is to walk a longer distance south along the beach and use one of the dune crossings from Süderheidetal/Westerheide to reach the road. From there, you can take the bus towards Westerland or List.
On the route described here, however, turn left at the Weststrand parking lot onto Mövenbergstraße and follow the path back to the youth hostel. Cross the youth hostel grounds and follow the path to the left, which soon turns into a sandy path and leads you into the List dune landscape. The sandy path, which later becomes a boardwalk, offers a great opportunity to experience the dunes up close without disturbing the delicate vegetation. A detour from the boardwalk leads to a viewing platform on the right, via some steps. From here, you have a magnificent view of the unique shifting dunes.
At the end of the boardwalk, you'll meet Mövenbergstraße again. Follow the map through the town back to the adventure center, or take the next bus towards Westerland from the "Mövenbergstraße" stop (summer schedule) or the Kurverwaltung/Alte Schule stop (year-round).
Tour features
Accessibility
Flatly
Equipment
With the right clothing, your hike will be an unforgettable experience whatever the weather! Our tip: With wind- and waterproof clothing, a hat, comfortable hiking shoes, a backpack with a snack, and some sunscreen, you can't go wrong on the North Sea.
For bird and plant enthusiasts, it is worth taking binoculars and appropriate literature with you – also as an app.
Arrival & Parking
More information / links
author
Anja Szczesinski / WWF Wadden Sea Office
Organization
Wadden Sea World Heritage Explorer
Our tip
safety instructions
To ensure that nature can develop undisturbed, we ask you to support nature conservation in the national park:
- Please stay on marked trails and observe the signs for protecting nesting and roosting areas. Even if there are no signs, very nervous birds often indicate that you are too close to their nests!
- Please always keep your dog on a leash when accompanying you on a hike so that it does not accidentally disturb breeding or resting birds.
- Please do not leave any rubbish in nature.
- Please do not pick flowers, as many plants are protected under special protection laws. Instead, enjoy the sight of them in their natural habitat.
- Please keep your distance from resting flocks of birds and seals when walking along the beach or water's edge.
Nearby
