Eilander Balgexpres - Guided tour
The Eilander Balgexpres takes you along the wide beach of Schiermonnikoog to De Balg, the uninhabited eastern tip of the island. A tractor pulls a bus trailer with room for 45 passengers some fifteen kilometres across the sand, through a landscape that changes with every high tide.
What can you expect at the Eilander Balgexpres?
- On the way: The outward ride takes about 45 minutes. You pass the dunes of the National Park and cross sand flats, gullies and channels that wind and tide keep reshaping.
- Seals: At low tide, harbour and grey seals rest on the sandbanks across the channel. The driver brings a telescope so you can get a good look. With some luck you will also spot harbour porpoises at sea.
- Birds: Terns and cormorants hunt for fish above the water. During the breeding season a colony of little terns nests on De Balg.
- Shell hunting: In summer the Eilander Balgexpres stops about a kilometre before the end point so you can look for shells. You will find whelks, ocean quahogs and variegated scallops, and sometimes amber or driftwood.
- Commentary: Along the way the driver tells you about the island, the tides and the wildlife, in Dutch, German and English.
Practical information
- Departure point: The Eilander Balgexpres departs from the Badweg, opposite Vitamaris at the junction with the Seeduneweg.
- Departure times: Departure times depend on the tide and change every day. The whole trip takes about two and a half hours.
- Booking: Book online through Natuurmonumenten or at the Informatiecentrum Het Baken on the Reeweg.
A trip on the Eilander Balgexpres is the easiest way to reach the unspoilt eastern tip of Schiermonnikoog, and no two rides are the same.
Furthermore Eilander Balgexpres is near the following sights: De Balg (±150 m) & Kaap Willemsduin (±2,2 km).
For information
web. Website
Display Eilander Balgexpres