Juist

Juist is the longest and narrowest of the East Frisian islands, about seventeen kilometres from end to end and in places only five hundred metres across, so the sea is visible on both sides at once from the dunes. Motor vehicles are banned except for emergency and service use, and transport on the island is by horse-drawn carriage, bicycle and foot; luggage goes by cart from the ferry. The Hammersee, formed in 1932 when a storm surge broke through the northern dike and the water behind it could not drain away, is the largest freshwater lake on any German North Sea island and a bird reserve. Ferries run only around high tide because the channel dries.

History

In the 17th and 18th centuries storm tides cut Juist in two, and around 1770 the islanders began to close the 2 km wide breach on its southern side with a dune dike; the northern side was repaired in 1928 (Wikipedia, Juist).

Highlights

• The horse carriages - the island's transport, with no private cars.
• The narrow shape - both coasts visible at once from the dune ridge.
• The Hammersee - a freshwater lake formed from a closed storm breach.
• The long beach - sand running the island's full seaward length.

When to go

May to September; the ferry runs only near high tide, so departure times shift daily and can be very early or late. Winter services are minimal.

Good to know

Tide-bound ferries mean awkward arrival and departure times and long waits. There are no cars, so plan luggage. Storms cancel crossings.

Nearby

Norderney lies east; Borkum is west.