Does the Wadden Sea revolve around the Wadden Islands? Perhaps in a literal sense, though certainly not in a figurative one. You don’t have to actually go to an island to enjoy the beauty of the Wadden. From endless horizons in Oldambt to natural beauty in Lauwersmeer National Park, the Wadden Sea coast –a UNESCO World Heritage Site—offers an incredible number of things to see and do.
Discover the unexpected beauty of salt marshes and polders. Stroll along the bottom of the sea when the Wadden dries up. Watch seals on sandbars as they wait for the tide to bring in new food. Feast your eyes on thousands of migratory birds feeding on the Wad and at the Dollard’s edge. What can you do here?
Groningen’s inland areas were formed centuries ago by the Wadden Sea. The Reitdiep was once the winding Hunze River, connecting the city to the open sea. At that time, tidal changes still had a major influence on the surrounding countryside. The ‘wierden’ mounds recall a time when the Wadden Sea regularly flooded the land at high tide, and poldering along the Eems-Dollard continued well into the 20th century. Thus a land of endless horizons was created. Take a look around as you ride out to the seawall or catch a ferry. You’ll see you are in territory marked by the power of the Wad.