Föhr

Föhr (North Frisian: Feer, Danish: Før) is one of the North Frisian Islands. One of the island's main attraction is the 12 km (7.5 mi) sand beach on the southern shore.

Understand

Föhr is the largest of the German islands without road or rail access, at ca. 82 km² (32 sq mi), home to a population of 8250 (2017). Traditionally a Danish haven of whale hunting, visits by Danish Royalty put it on the map as holiday destination. Like its neighbouring islands, it depends on tourism. Föhr is protected from some of the worst seas by Sylt and Amrum.

beach with promenade of Wyk

The northern parts of Föhr consist of marshes while the southern parts consist of sandy geest.

From the middle-ages until 1864, Föhr belonged to the Danish realm and to the Duchy of Schleswig, but was then transferred to Prussia as a result of the Second Schleswig War. Seafaring has long been the most popular trade, but farming and eventually tourism became the most important economic factors after the end of the Age of Sail.

The climate is oceanic with moderate winters and relatively cool summers.

Tourist information

• Föhr Tourism information

Get in

The island can be reached by a car and passenger ferry service or via an airstrip.

By boat

Deutsche Bahn sells through tickets including the boat if you enter "Wyk auf Föhr" into their search mask.

WDR ferry company runs Ferry services from Dagebüll on the mainland to 1 Wyk Ferry Port. The trip takes 50 minutes and costs €15.50 for an adult return in 2024. Cars are transported, but at steep prices, book well in advance.

To get to Dagebüll, take a regional or InterCity train to Niebüll, then transfer to the RB64 service run by NEG.

By plane

• 2 Flugplatz Wyk (OHR  ^IATA). A tiny general aviation airstrip. Westküstenflug connects to Sylt, Husum and Flensburg.  

Get around

By car

Unlike most of the East Frisian Islands Föhr allows private motorcars to operate.

By bus

The island has some bus service that connects the main town of Wyk to the other villages.

See

Wyk, the primary town on Föhr

• Wyk old town. In the old town, which is a pedestrian zone, you can find cozy alleyways. There are various places to eat and shop here. A walk along the beach promenade is also worthwhile. One of the city's landmarks is the bell tower, built in 1886. 
• The island features three mediaeval churches from the 12th and 13th century. The adjacent graveyards contain unusual tombstones which display entire vitae and may show pictures. The churches were built before the Reformation but were converted to Lutheranism.
  • 1 St. Nicolas' church (St. Nicolai) (Wyk-Boldixum). (updated Apr 2018)
  • 2 St. John's (St. Johannis) (Nieblum). (updated Apr 2018)
  • 3 St. Lawrence's (St. Laurentii) (Süderende). (updated Apr 2018)
• On Föhr five windmills can be found, two of them in Wyk (a Dutch mill called Venti Amica from 1879 in the old town and a buck mill from Hallig Langeneß at the museum), as well as one in Wrixum (an octagonal Dutch mill), one in Borgsum (Octagonal Dutch mill, rebuilt in 1992 after the previous building was ruined by fire) and one in Oldsum (octagonal Dutch mill from 1901). All of them are privately owned except for the buck mill and the mill at Wrixum.
• 4 Dr. Carl-Haeberlin-Friesenmuseum Wyk auf Föhr (Frisian Museum), Rebbelstieg 34, 25938 Wyk, ☏ +49 4681 25 71, info@friesen-museum.de. Mar-Jun Sep Oct: Tu-Su 10:00-17:00; Jul-Aug: daily 10:00-17:00; Nov-Feb: Tu-Su 14:00-17:00. The museum is a cultural history museum with a wide range of collections (including on the island's history,  the natural world and animal world of Föhr) and, thanks to its large outdoor area, is also an open-air museum with several buildings worth seeing and 2 reconstructed prehistoric burial chambers. Another focus of the museum is whaling, which many of Föhr's residents used to make a living from. The rose garden displays more than 100 different roses. Adult  €4.80, child (6-17  years)  €2.50, family €10.50, reduced rate with spa card. (updated Jan 2023)

Do

• The Wadden Sea surrounding Föhr:
  • The foreland north of the sea dike, and the mud flats provide ample space for all kinds of seabirds. Oystercatchers, common eiders, shelducks, snipes and peewits are only a few of them. Moreover, during the season vast swarms of migratory birds will rest at Föhr and the neighbouring islands. Occasionally, especially after severe winter storms, harbour seals may be encountered on the beaches.
  • The beach along the southern shore is popular for swimming. Also, during low tide it is possible to hike from Amrum to Föhr.

Sleep

There is a good number of hotels and holiday rentals on the island.

• 1 Strandhotel Wyk, Königstraße 1, Wyk auf Föhr, ☏ +49 4681 58700. (updated Feb 2016)
• 2 Hotel Rackmers Hof, Buurnstrat 1, Oevenum, ☏ +49 4681 746377. (updated Feb 2016)