Tour of Westerplas

Drive out of the village via the Reeweg on the south side. In the polder, drive straight on to the dike. Here you turn right. Take a sharp left to a stone monument on the dike. From the Bank van Banck you have a beautiful view of the Wadden Sea. at low tide there are many birds. The wide dike is full of flowers in April-June. The blue broad speedwell is striking. Turn around again and follow the cycle path (Minne Onnespad) along the Westerplas. You can visit the bird hide (first path on the right). After a sharp descent, the Westerduinenweg beach crossing is on the left. The beach here is covered with salt-loving plants. In June the pink milkweed blooms, in August the lilac sea aster. Shelducks are often found in puddles, white goose-like ducks that search here for tiny mudflat snails. Closer to the sea you see many wading birds, such as silver plover and dunlin. Return to the bike and follow the shell path. Turn left against a green dike into the Westerduinenpad. Ignore shell paths to the right. The path meanders through a beautiful varied dune landscape. In May the hawthorns bloom everywhere, in June the dog roses. It is an Eldorado for songbirds. Warbler and warbler sing everywhere. The Westerduinenpad leads to a brick road. Turn left here until you reach the bicycle shed at the lighthouse. From the lighthouse dune you have a beautiful view over the beach. There are often seals on the sandbank off the coast. you can walk down for a while. The dune valley at the foot of the lighthouse is one of the most beautiful on the island. Descend the cobbled road again. On the Badweg you turn left to Strandhotel Noderstraun. Seals can also often be seen from here. Cormorants and eiders can also be found on the sandbank. Turn around, but turn left immediately after Noderstraun. Soon you can go back to the beach via the Westerhofpad (turn left). You can also keep right. The beach at the Westerhofpad is rich in birds. In winter, many songbirds from the far north (snow bunting, friar and beach lark) search for seeds. Oystercatchers and curlews are often found in the shallow water. In the spring this is a good place for migrating terns. Go back to the beginning of the Westerhofpad and turn left at the intersection. Kapenglop is on the right. When there was no lighthouse on the island yet, a fire was burned here at night. Now it is one of the few places on the island where you can still see the 'white top of the dunes'. Keep left at the three-fork. The next three-fork on the edge of the forest is the Jacobspad beach crossing on the left. The influence of the sandbank is less here than on Westerstrand. The beach is therefore less muddy. It consists of sand and more shells wash up. The green beach is also different here. Due to fresh seepage water there is a lot of reed and in some places you will even find orchids. Follow the edge of the forest and keep left. The path meanders through birch groves and open dunes. Eventually it opens onto a concrete path. keep left. Here is the Schleidorp, a collection of German bunkers from the Second World War. One of these bunkers has been set up as a museum (Bunkermuseum Schlei). When it's open it's well worth a visit. On the left is the beach transition to the Badstrand. There is a beautiful sandy beach here. The green beach here is most beautiful in July, when the candy pink centaury blooms. Follow the Prins Bernhardweg in the direction of the village. On the left are a few beautiful vistas of dune valleys. The dune fritillary is still common here in June. The roadsides are most beautiful in June and July. There are then various tall yellow plants (stalk candle, mullein and evening primrose) and the blue-purple snake herb. On the left is the Wassermannbunker. Park the bike at the parking and walk upstairs. When the weather is clear you have a beautiful view over the island. Birds of prey often fly around here, such as buzzard and harrier and hen harrier. North of the bunker lies a colony of gulls in the bare dunes. Opposite the bunker, enter the shell path (Cornelis Visserpad). This meanders via the Berkenplas through the forest and dunes to the village. The bare dunes after the Berkenplas are the oldest dunes on the island at about a thousand years old. Mostly mosses grow there. There is not enough food in the soil for trees. Go straight on at the intersection. The ice rink is on the left. Turn left at the three-fork. The field at the ice rink is a sea of flowers in May and June. In May, the large flowers of the yellow iris are on the bank. In June, many reed orchids bloom in the meadow. In September and October, the mushrooms have taken over. There are many special species at the Ice Rink. Turn left on the Badweg. You are now driving back to the village. Special Schiermonnikoog and Wadden Sea books, delicious island delicacies and more at www.schiermonnikoogshop.nl.