VisitEsbjerg
ESBJERG
Explore the Wadden Sea from Esbjerg !
ESBJERG
Wadden Sea Esbjerg
For a close-up experience of the Wadden Sea,
you can’t beat a stroll across the mudflats at low
tide. Start your walk at the ”Man meets the Sea”
at Sædding Strand - opposite of the Fisheries
and Maritime Museum.
In water-filled depressions, you will find small
fish and shrimps. All these creatures provide a
rich source of food for waders. If you’re lucky,
you might see or hear an oystercatcher. These
delightful black and white birds have bright red
legs and beaks and are experts at opening cockles, over 200 of which they can eat in a day.
The mudflats are a dynamic environment, and
everything will already have changed by the
time you get back to the shore. Perhaps the tide
is on its way in – and a mere 6 ½ hours after
the tide has turned, the flats will once again be
completely submerged.
From the car park, dark beds of mussels can be
seen on the flats at low tide some 300 metres
from the shore. The area between the shore
and the mussel beds provides a wonderful opportunity to experience some of the creatures
that live in the Wadden Sea at close hand. Many
of these live buried in the sand and are therefore not immediately visible. Cockles, clams
and Baltic macoma, for example. Or lugworms,
whose presence is revealed by small piles of
spaghetti-like excrements all over the seabed.
There are also plenty of mussels, whose empty
shells are easy to find. Extensive beds of blue
mussels and Pacific oysters are revealed at low
tide. And you are bound to find crabs if you care
to look. They often hide amongst the mussels
and scuttle off as soon as you approach.
As the time of low tide shifts daily, you should
always consult a tide table for Esbjerg before visiting the mudflats. It is always safest to walk on
the flats while the tide is going out.
And remember: never go onto the flats in mist
or fog as you can easily become disoriented and
lose your sense of direction.
Brillesøerne
Hjerting Strand
Just a few minutes’ walk from the ”Man meets
the Sea” lies a wonderful park with two picturesque lakes, a nature playground and large
meadow. As the lakes are connected by a narrow canal, and therefore resemble an enormous pince-nez when seen from the air, they
are nicknamed Brillesøerne, or pectacles Lakes.
The lakes and canal are man-made, not natural.
Hjerting Strand - here you can enjoy the beautiful view of the Ho Bay, go for a swim, play and
be active.
The new 660 metre long wooden sea front is
equipped with benches, slopes, stairs and platforms.
There is a picnic table with benches at the
lakes, seating 10-12 people, and the nature
playground features a covered picnic area with
room for 18-20 people. The large meadow beside the lakes forms part of Fovrfeld Enge and is
grazed in summer by peaceful cattle.
To get to Brillesøerne from the ”Man meets the
Sea”, walk the short distance along Sædding
Strandvej in the direction of Esbjerg to the Tjunction with Tarphagevej, where the Fisheries
and Maritime Museum is located. At the junction, you’ll find a paved path on the opposite side
of the road to the museum, which leads to the
lakes and nature playground (approx. 250 m).
Sea pool - also open in winter and suitable for
persons in wheelchairs.
Special sea platform which, at low tide, lies like a
piece of furniture on the beach, and at high tide
like an island in the water.
Lots of facilities for playing, for instance beach
volley and good kite surfing.
Speedboat sailing and water-skiing permitted
at Hjerting from 1 March till 30 September.
Further information: Oxbøl Statsskovsdistrikt,
phone 76541020
Close to the sea front you will find the beautiful scenery of Hjerting Beach Park which ends
with a 60 m long bathing jetty.The nature of the
Beach Park varies a lot - beach, tidal meadow,
moor, heath and wood.In the park you will find
special wooden benches from which you can
enjoy the beautiful view of the sea.Also in the
evening it is worth visiting the park with the
winding path leading from Sanatorievej to the
sea illuminated by luminous balls.In the park
there is a sculpture by the Portuguese artist Rui
Chafes.
VisitEsbjerg
Skolegade 52 . DK-6700 Esbjerg
www.visitesbjerg.dk
[email protected]