Mud Walking – A Truly Dutch (and Muddy) Past-Time

Between the North coast of the Netherlands and the 5 Frisian islands lies the Waddenzee. During low tide, it is possible to walk across the muddy sea floor to one of the islands; known as wadlopen, or mud walking, it is a very popular past time with the locals. Hikes of up to 12km in knee deep mud and neck deep water are possible, and you can see a great deal of wildlife such as crabs, oysters, fish and birds – even seals basking in the sun.

Last weekend I did the mud walk from the small town of Holwerd (located on the North coast of the Netherlands), to Ameland (one of the Frisian Islands). It was a 9km hike, the first 3km of which were wading through knee deep mud. The tour companies warn that it is a strenuous hike, and you should believe them. Walking on a hot summer day through knee deep mud is very difficult. You have to make sure you bring plenty of water and snacks to eat along the way. It is also very important to have shoes that you can tie tightly (think Converse All Stars); the suction is incredibly strong and will pull off any shoes that aren’t secured. Your shoes will be covered in mud both inside and out so there’s no point in trying to get something waterproof, as long as it stays tight on your foot!

After the first 3km we reached some sand banks, where we were able to stop for 5 minutes for a quick drink and snack. The remaining 6km were walking on sand banks or wading through water; both much more pleasant and easy than the initial mud walk.

When you go on a mud walk it’s important to ensure your bag is waterproof. At one point we were wading through water that was up to my neck (I’m 5’5”), and combined with the strong current, I actually had to swim a short distance. Luckily I was on the mud walk with my Dutch boyfriend (who is very tall), so he was able to take the backpacks on his shoulders without them getting wet.

There are various types of mud walks, including shorter and less strenuous hikes that start and end on the mainland. If you decide to do a crossing to one of the islands, the tours always return by ferry to the original starting location. The Holwerd ferry goes to Nes, Ameland’s biggest town, and after the mud walk a tractor took us from the beach to the Nes ferry. Even in low tide, the ferry is still able to operate to one end of the island.

If you do decide to do a mud walk with a crossing, I recommend doing what we did, and making a two-day trip out of the wadlopen experience. We booked a hotel in Nes in advance; it was so nice to arrive on Ameland and have a bed and shower waiting for us. Nes is a lovely town, and it was great exploring it and going out to dinner. The next day we rented bikes and cycled around the island, taking in the scenery and stopping to hit the beach at various points.

Mud walking is a very unusual experience and quintessentially Dutch, so if you’re looking for a one of a kind experience, wadlopen is the way to go. It’s something that happens only in the summer months, and I can imagine it being unpleasant if the weather doesn’t cooperate. But if you’re adventurous and expecting good weather ahead, it’s definitely worth looking into.

There are many companies that offer guided wadlopen tours; it’s important to do some research in advance to prepare yourself. We did the Ameland tour with Dijkstraa Wadlooptochten ( www.wadloop-dijkstra.nl ) and had a great time.

It’s important not to attempt a mud walk without a guide; it’s easy to get disorientated because of the flat, muddy landscape, and the tides can change rather suddenly. But once you’re out there make sure you have some fun playing in the mud!