Mudflat hiking…

4:20 the alarm went on. “Where am I and why do I have to wake up in the middle of the night?” this was my first thought. This was a beginning of our small adventure that started in the small cozy hotel in Dokkum. With the group of 14 people, we decided to check what this big deal is about mudflat walking (Wadlopen). After shower, quick breakfast and the 15 min ride we were standing at 6 o’clock, in the cold, waiting to make our first steps in the black, dirty, smelly mud of the Wadden Sea.

The start was at Holwerd ferry, destination, Ameland Island, distance, more than 10km, time planed, 3hours. As members of 60 people group, guided by the 4 guides, we walked first 3 km in the mud up to our ankles. Strange feeling when you don’t see the color of your shoes. Later, when the sun starts to shine, we were reaching the water first to our ankles, then the knees and eventually to almost our waist. Luckily, it was few channels only, mostly we walked in the shallow sea and various sand-flats, ending the last kilometer with the island view in front of us. We reached the Ameland far before the tide. Everyone was quite exhausted and some of us took a power nap on the ferry taking us back to parking spot at Holwerd.

Despite the muscle pain and sore feet I can definitely check this one as a great fun worth repeating in the future. If we want there are many mud routes to choose from.