Föhr

Föhr differs from its neighbours in being mostly marsh rather than dune, protected by a dike and farmed, which makes it green and has earned it the nickname of the Frisian Caribbean, a comparison that says more about marketing than climate. From the seventeenth century its men sailed on Dutch and later German whaling ships to the Arctic in large numbers, and the churchyards at Nieblum and Süderende hold sprechende Grabsteine, talking gravestones, carved with the ships, voyages and family details of individual captains. Frisian is still spoken. A museum of modern art on the island holds a substantial collection.

Highlights

• The talking gravestones - captains' graves carved with their voyages.
• The marsh landscape - green farmland behind a dike rather than dunes.
• The Frisian language - still spoken in the villages.
• The art museum - a modern collection unusual for a small island.

When to go

May to September; ferries run regularly from Dagebüll and connect to Amrum. The island is flat and cycled easily. Winter services are reduced.

Practical notes

Ferries are tide and weather dependent. The Caribbean nickname is marketing; the North Sea is cold. The island is quiet outside summer.

Nearby

Amrum lies west; the Halligen are north.