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.
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.
Between mudflats and saltmarshes
Sometimes it’s sea, sometimes it’s land. Typical for the landscape along the southern edge of the Rif are the transitions – from mudflats to beach, from wet to dry, from barren to vegetated. During this stroll you get to know the life forms on and in the mudflats, but also some typical saltmarsh plants and their adaptations to living in salt surroundings.
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?
Herbs excursion
Gentle healers, dangerous poisons, and traditional medicine – during our herbs walk you will hear various stories about the potent herbs of Schiermonnikoog. An alternative view of the diverse world of plants.
Walk around the West
This walk will take you through the many different landscapes of the diverse westside of the island. On the road you will hear stories about plants, animals, and the history of this extraordinary area.
Bike tour with tales
A relaxed bike tour along the most beautiful places of the island. On the road the guide will tell you a lot of stories about the history, culture, and nature of the island. Special attention is paid to the stories behind the landmarks.
Dunes and flowers
On Schiermonnikoog you’ll find dunes of all ages, from the young dunes on the beach to the old dune valleys near the village, each with their own vegetation. During this beautiful trip you’ll see marram grass, creeping willow, orchids and sundew, amongst other plants.
Village walk
Who were the first inhabitants of the island, where do the island children go to school, and after whom the monument Bank van Banck was called? After the village walk you’ll know everything about Schiermonnikoog and about the island population in the past and at present.
Evening walk
During the evening walk you’ll get to know the night life of Schiermonnikoog, island legends and maybe the darkest path of the island… A solid hike, with a drink on the way.
Star walk
Schiermonnikoog is one of the darkest places of the Netherlands. Ideal for star gazing! Look at the night sky and listen to tales about star signs, the Milky Way and other fascinating celestial phenomena.
Dusk adventure
Discover the secrets of the twilight, together with the gentle phantom of dusk. This wonderful quest is meant for children between 6 and 11 years old. When their parents don’t dare to stay home, they may join them.
Bugs and other small creatures
A pleasant exploration tour for young and old. First, we look for tiny animals that crawl in the trees, in the bushes and in the grass. Then we are going to catch water bugs. All necessary materials are provided.
Forest secrets for toddlers
This excursion is specially devised for toddlers. During an adventurous walk through the woods, we make a lot of nice discoveries and get to know a few of the creatures that live there. Our tour ends at the Hazeweitje.
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 autumn, in winter and in spring. 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.