Sand dune with fine sand, green grass, and a red and white lighthouse under a cloudy sky. A wooden path winds through tall grass leading to a small house with a red roof under a cloudy sky.
Germany

Amrum: A Lesson in Sand

A Boardwalk Through the Dunes.
 Amrum, Germany, July 2022

For me, Amrum was, above all, dunes. At first, gentle hills with tufts of grass swaying in the wind. Then, more and more sand. A lot of sand.

The first few kilometers were easy—I walked comfortably along a wooden boardwalk that wound its way through the landscape. But then, I took a wrong turn.

The boardwalk disappeared, and suddenly, I was trudging through fine, soft sand. It was exhausting, almost absurd how difficult each step became. But I have to admit, the dunes around me were breathtaking. The vastness, the silence, the soft whisper of the wind—everything was wonderful. Or it would have been, had I not just become an unwilling participant in an extreme fitness program for directionally challenged hikers.

At some point—after what felt like a full desert expedition—a path finally appeared. And shortly after, civilization. Exhausted but triumphant, I made my way back, armed with beautiful photos and the certainty that the struggle had been worth it.

But next time, I'm definitely going to stay on the boardwalk.

Map of Amrum
A red and white lighthouse overlooks a meadow landscape and a calm body of water.
A wooden path winds through tall grass leading to a small house with a red roof under a cloudy sky.
A wooden walkway leads to a modern beach house on a green hill, surrounded by grassy land and colorful flowers.
A wooden boardwalk winds through Amrum’s dunes, protecting the fragile ecosystem from erosion.
A wooden walkway connects two houses through green grass and dunes on Amrum, with a few people walking by.
A wooden pathway runs through tall grass leading to an ascending trail with a house and visible trees.
Wooden path on Amrum: A narrow boardwalk winds through green landscape, surrounded by sand dunes under a cloudy sky.
Dune landscape on Amrum: A group of people stands on a viewing platform at the slope of a dune.
Dune landscape on Amrum: A wooden path winds through sandy hills and green terrain under a cloudy sky.
A wooden path leads through dune scenery to an open sandy beach under a partly cloudy sky.
A wooden pathway leads to a viewing platform by the water, surrounded by tall grass and small trees.
Dune landscape on Amrum: Two people walk along a sandy path between green bushes and tall dunes.
Dune landscape on Amrum: A group of people walks along a sandy path between the dunes, surrounded by green shrubs.
Sand dune with fine sand, green grass, and a red and white lighthouse under a cloudy sky.
Amrum’s iconic lighthouse rises above the shifting dunes of the North Frisian coast. Built in 1875, it still guides ships safely through the tidal flats of the Wadden Sea.
Sand dunes on Amrum: A wide sandy landscape featuring gentle hills and a clear, slightly cloudy sky in the background.
A sandy path between dunes under a cloudy sky leading to the sea, with green grasses growing in the dunes.
A sandy path leads through Amrum’s dunes to the vast North Sea beach. The island’s shifting sands are in constant motion, shaped by wind and tide.
Island house on Amrum: A thatched roof house behind an iron gate, surrounded by green trees and grass.
Amrum: Red lighthouse amidst hilly dunes under a cloudy sky.