North Frisia: dikes, lighthouses and mudflats
From Friedrichstadt’s canals across the Eider to the vast beach of St. Peter-Ording, the Westerhever lighthouse and Theodor Storm’s “grey town” of Husum.
- Distance
- 108 km (67 mi)
- Driving
- 1 h 29 min
- Suggested days
- 4
- Stops
- 8
- Countries
- Germany
- Updated
- August 6, 2026
At a glance: 4-day road trip of about 108 km (67 mi) with 8 stops, from Friedrichstadt to Nordstrand. About 1 h 29 min of driving in total.
Route description
Start in Friedrichstadt, a small town founded by Dutch settlers in the 17th century, with canals, stepped gables and boat tours. From there it is a short drive to Tönning, where the Multimar Wattforum explains the Wadden Sea before you see it for real.
Follow the B5 west to the Eider Barrage, where the road dives into a tunnel beneath the flood gates, then continue onto the Eiderstedt peninsula. St. Peter-Ording’s beach is so wide that its cafés stand on stilts; some sections allow parking on the sand, but check the tide tables and signs.
North of St. Peter-Ording, narrow lanes lead across the marsh to the car park for the Westerheversand lighthouse, the most photographed on the German North Sea coast. The walk out takes about half an hour and is best at golden hour, when sheep graze the salt meadows.
Finish in Husum, with its colourful harbour and the Theodor Storm house, then cross the dam to Nordstrand, a former island now joined to the mainland. It is a quiet base for mudflat walks, which should only be done with a certified guide. The coast is windy all year; May to September brings the mildest weather.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Friedrichstadt
Germany - 214 km
Multimar Wattforum
NatureTönning, GermanyThe visitor centre of the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park, with large aquariums and a sperm whale skeleton. A good rainy-day stop before heading out to the mudflats.
- 311 km
Eider Barrage
OdditiesTönning, GermanyGermany’s largest coastal flood barrier closes the mouth of the Eider, and the road runs through a tunnel beneath it. Climb the dike to watch boats pass through the lock.
- 417 km
St. Peter-Ording
Germany - 54 km
St. Peter-Ording beach stilt houses
OdditiesSt. Peter-Ording, GermanyCafés and lifeguard huts on tall stilts stand on a beach up to 2 km wide, reached by long wooden boardwalks. Cars may park on parts of the sand for a fee; keep an eye on the tide.
- 68 km
Westerheversand Lighthouse
ViewsWesterhever, GermanyA red-and-white lighthouse flanked by two keeper’s cottages, standing alone in the salt marshes. Park behind the dike and walk about half an hour across the meadows.
- 737 km
Husum
Germany - 817 km
Nordstrand
Germany
