Bird walk with migratory birds
In September and October bird migration is in full swing on Schiermonnikoog. Join us on a walk in nature, looking for autumn birds. In the polder you’ll hear from the ranger where those thousands of brent geese and barnacle geese actually come from and why they like staying on Schiermonnikoog so much. The mudflats contain millions of worms, shells and shrimps and therefore attract a lot of birds.
Don’t miss the splendid, but inconspicuous golden plover! And of course, we also visit the Westerplas, a true duck paradise.
Beachcombing
When storms buzz over the island, the beachcombers heart starts beating faster: what loot can be found on the beach this time? We visit the beach and hunt for treasures from the sea. Crabs, shells, jellyfish, and maybe a message in a bottle… Who knows?
Walk through the dunes and the forest
Variety is the key word during this encounter with the dunes and woods to the northeast of the village. We take a walk through young and older dunes, coniferous and deciduous woods, wet and dry areas. Discover the rich flora and fauna of Schiermonnikoog and listen to stories about a German count, northern and southern slopes, witches’ brooms, rabbits, hares and more.
Mudflat excursion
At first sight the mudflats seem a deserted, smelly, muddy mess. But when you take a closer look, you will see that the bottom of the Wadden Sea is full of life. Take a walk on the seafloor and meet the sandworm, the shrimp, and the cockle, in one of Europe’s most special natural environments.
Forest bathing
Submerge yourself in nature and take a bath in the forest, together with the forest ranger!
During this walk, we slow down and experience nature with all our senses. We let ourselves be surprised and amazed by everything the forest and the dunes offer us when we start to feel, to listen, to taste and to smell.
Forest bathing (shinrin-yoku) is originally a Japanese tradition, but anyone who regularly goes out into nature knows that this will make you relax as well. Nature will help you to reduce stress levels and strengthen your immune system. During this excursion you will learn more about this and experience the power of nature yourself.
Mushroom excursion
Throughout the year you can find mushrooms on Schiermonnikoog, but during autumn their numbers are much bigger. In the moist, cool weeks of the fall they are everywhere in the forest and in the dunes. Join the ranger and learn how to recognize mushrooms by their forms, their colours, and their smells.
Dune safari
Schiermonnikoog has a beautiful dune area. There are a lot of dune valleys with exceptional flowers and rare plants. But if we wouldn’t intervene, those dunes would soon become overgrown… For this reason, the last few years big grazers have been introduced in the dunes; they help our rangers in keeping the dunes open.
During this stroll in the dunes, we look for tracks and traces from big and small grazers and for special flowers and plants. And who knows, maybe we meet the grazers themselves.
Star walk
Schiermonnikoog is one of the darkest places of the Netherlands. During the star walk you’ll learn a lot about the stars and the planets, the moon, the Milky Way and other fascinating celestial phenomena. When the sky is clear, of course we look at the different star signs that are visible, but this walk through the dark is also worthwhile when the sky is overcast.
Evening walk
Join us on a walk through the historical village, via the dunes, to the ‘burning’ lighthouse. During this excursion, the guide will tell you about the history of the island and about natural evening phenomena.
General information
- prices: adults € 10,- | children up to 12 years old € 5,-
- prices evening excursions: adults € 12,50 | children up to 12 years old € 6,25
- members of Natuurmonumenten / OERRR pay 30% less
- excursions last about two hours
- the price for the birding excursion includes the use of binoculars
- the price for the mudflat excursion includes the use of rubber boots
- dogs are not allowed
- the guide may cancel the excursion due to harsh weather conditions
- for all our excursions there is a minimum of five participants
- you can find our actual excursion program in our activity calendar (you can buy tickets here as well).
- you can also buy tickets in information centre Het Baken
Important
Our regular excursions are in Dutch, but we can try to find an English-speaking guide for you. During the summer, we sometimes offer English spoken excursions.
Group excursions
Are you visiting Schiermonnikoog with a group? If you like, we can organize a special event for you and consider your wishes and personal interests. Please call us in advance to discuss the options.
In every season
Of course, we also have excursions in winter, in spring and in summer. During school holidays you can participate in one of our family activities.
Do-it-yourself
Apart from excursions we also have a lot of activities that you can do yourself. For example, the WADDEN excursions kit from the Waddenvereniging, do-it-yourself nature activities for families on the beach and around the Westerplas, the one-and-only Schiermonnikoog bingo and much more. Visit Het Baken and choose the activity that suits you most.