Germany's northernmost island Sylt a true tourist gem

By Detlef Berg Aug 30, 2011, 3:06 GMT

List, Germany - The island of Sylt off Germany's North Sea coastline is renowned for its unspoilt beaches and unique architecture, with the area around the northernmost town of List located on an elbow-shaped peninsula that is particularly quiet and peaceful.

Sylt has long been a favoured location for affluent Germans, who each year come in their droves to what is arguably the most beautiful of the North Frisian Islands.

The Ellenbogen (Elbow) peninsula, which juts out from the northernmost tip of the island, is the most northerly part of Germany and varies in width between 330 and 1,200 metres.

Discovering the peninsula's dune landscape on foot involves a 20 km round trip, starting from the Wadden Sea Station Sylt at the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research.

The walk offers superb views of Koenigshafen harbour and the peninsula as well as passing by the pro-conservation youth hostel List-Moevenberg before arriving via a narrow road at a toll booth.

Cars have to pay to proceed any further but cyclists and pedestrians have free access to the peninsula.

'Cars have to pay 5 euros (7 dollars),' explains the woman sitting in the booth. 'But for that you get to see the most beautiful landscape possible.' It is easy to see why she feels this way, as the sun, wind and sand seem to have a greater effect on this almost elemental landscape than anywhere else in Germany.

Visitors to the Ellenbogen also quickly learn to be grateful and happy that the peninsula's landowners have voluntarily opened up this wonderful stretch of natural habitat to the general public.

The route traverses sheep meadows and winds along the northern shore of Koenigshafen before reaching the tip of the peninsula.

Information boards along the way tell of the events that helped create this unique landscape, including the Saint Marcellus flood, or Grote Mandrenke (Great Drowning of Men).

This devastating storm flood struck Sylt in 1362, creating the elbow-shaped peninsula with sand washed away from the island's western coastline.

Today, large parts of this barren landscape are off-limits to walkers as they are home to nesting sites for rare birds.

Visitors also learn that Koenigshafen was never a harbour in the true sense of the word, but was named after a naval battle during the 30 Years' War, which was won by a Danish king.

The bay offers ideal conditions for the 30 or so sea lions that have made Koenigshafen their home, although tourists have to keep a strict distance.

The protected side of the peninsula is quiet and calm so it's hardly surprising that it's extremely popular with holidaymakers. Also, as there aren't many places to stop and eat, food and drink generally has to be carried in a rucksack.

A little further on, the point is reached where the protected side meets the tide of the North Sea and an accompanying westerly wind. The cloud formations above cast unusual shapes along the beach until the dune landscape around the List-Ost Lighthouse looms into view. The twin List-West Lighthouse is reached shortly afterwards.

Germany's two most northerly lighthouses are not only popular snapshot scenes, they have often been used as maritime backdrops for films. It also possible after such a long walk to have a refreshing swim in the North Sea.