Fohr Nieblum / Schleswig-Holstein / Germany

Fohr is the second largest of the Frisian Islands located in the province of Schleswig-Holstein lying just off the North West coast of Germany. This whole area is a Mecca for water sports enthusiasts such as sailors, surfers, kite surfers and wind surfers of all levels and abilities and Nieblum is no exception. There is no real season here, but be aware that it does attract crowds from April right through to October. So you might need to fight for your spot. There is plenty of parking at the beach, although there may well be a fee during the height of the season.

This has to be one of the best beaches around. It is soft and sandy and is large enough for kite surfers to launch and land on the beach itself, even during high tide. To get here you have to take the ferry from Dagebuell to the island. It is around 45 minutes and costs a little over six Euros. From Wyk Auf Fohr take the short drive to Nieblum.

The wind here is frontal and is consistent at around 16 knots. The predominant direction is south westerly and this is also one of the best directions for surfing here. The water here is generally choppy but if the wind is in the right direction, you can pick up some pretty large waves (around 3 meters plus) so this is good news for surfers. The water also tends to be shallow for around 1.5 kms, even on a high tide. The water temperature does tend to get very cold (down to around 2 degrees) in the winter months so if you are brave enough, you will need to suit up accordingly.

As Fohr is geared up towards water sports, the facilities here are excellent. The beach offers shower and toilet facilities, along with eating places. A surf/sailing school will hire out all the equipment you need and a shop is located nearby so that you can purchase any supplies that you might need. The nearby town of Wyk Auf Fohr has a handful of bars and restaurants but, if you want to experience some serious nightlife then you will need to head back towards Flensburg, or better still, Hamburg.

As the facilities here are so good, and the beach is second to none, expect crowds most of the year. This is something that you will need to be aware of when you are trying to find a decent spot. Also be aware of fairly strong undercurrents.