Borkum

Borkum lies about thirty kilometres offshore at the mouth of the Ems, the westernmost of the East Frisian islands and the largest at around thirty-one square kilometres. Its distance from the mainland gives it what German climatology calls Hochseeklima, high-sea climate, with very low pollen and allergen counts, which is the basis of its long use for respiratory treatment. Whaling was the island's business in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and fences and garden borders made from whale jawbones still stand in the village. A narrow-gauge railway of 1888 runs from the harbour to the town.

History

In 1484 the island, then called Bant, passed to the counts of East Frisia, who encouraged trade, and it became known for piracy and whaling; violent storms in the 18th century had split Bant into three islands by 1781. As whaling declined, the islanders grew poor and many left, the population falling from 852 in 1776 to 406 by 1811, until the first tourists arrived in 1834 and the island prospered as a resort (Wikipedia, Borkum).

What you'll find

• The whale bone fences - jawbones used as garden borders in the village.
• The narrow-gauge railway - an 1888 line from the harbour to the town.
• The high-sea air - low pollen conditions used for respiratory treatment.
• The long beaches - wide sand on the seaward side with beach chairs.

When to go

May to September for the beach; the crossing takes about two hours and is weather dependent. Winter is stormy with reduced services and few places open.

Things to know

The ferry crossing is long and can be rough. The island is far out and expensive to reach. The North Sea is cold and the wind constant.

Nearby

Juist lies east; the Dutch islands continue west.