The best family-friendly hikes and walks in Marker Wadden

The Marker Wadden are five artificial nature islands in the Markermeer, constructed between 2016 and 2021. They are located approximately four kilometers from the Houtribdijk and nine kilometers from Lelystad. The islands together cover approximately 800 hectares, more than one percent of the Markermeer. This is the first phase of a possible larger project. Marker Wadden is part of the Nieuw Land National Park, together with the Oostvaardersplassen and the Lepelaarplassen.

From the Steltloper lookout tower you have an unparalleled view of the natural islands that together form Marker Wadden. Be sure to take the time to absorb the diversity of the landscape and gaze at the birds in the distance. When the weather is good, you not only look out over the nature reserve, but you can even see Amsterdam, which is more than 40 kilometers away. The lookout tower itself can also be seen from afar, for example from the dike between Enkhuizen and Lelystad. https://www.nationaalparknieuwland.nl/nl/locationoverzicht/1296611179/uitkijktoren-steltloper-marker-wadden

In 1976, the dynamics of the rich plant and animal life in the Markermeer disappeared due to the construction of the dike between Enkhuizen and Lelystad. The Markermeer became a static lake because the natural balance was disturbed. Due to the construction of Marker Wadden, life above and below water is returning. The new natural banks and shallows ensure that nature flourishes. On Haveneiland you experience the vastness of the Marker Wadden and the Markermeer. Here you can see how nature develops. You can enjoy walking, bird watching and enjoying the beaches.

At the Island Pavilion you can order some hot and cold drinks and something tasty. It has an indoor and outdoor terrace. Outside you can sit on the spacious terrace with a beautiful view and above all enjoy.

On the De Steltloper lookout tower you are at the highest point of the island and you get a fantastic panoramic view of the Marker Wadden and the Markermeer. Together with the Oostvaardersplassen they form Nieuw Land National Park.

In this View Hut you are at eye level with all the swimming birds and you have a direct view of the food chain in the water.

Marker Wadden is a cluster of five new, uninhabited natural islands, which were artificially created in the Dutch Markermeer from 2016 to 2021. The islands are located approximately four kilometers from the Houtribdijk, which connects Enkhuizen and Lelystad. The distance to Lelystad is nine kilometers. The nature islands can only be reached by boat. The main island is open to visitors. If you do not have your own boat, you can buy a ticket for the ferry from Lelystad Bativiahaven via the Natuurmonumenten website. https://www.natuurmonumenten.nl/projecten/marker-wadden

The Marker Wadden are an artificially created group of islands in the Markermeer, a lake in the Netherlands that was also artificially created by draining the former Zuiderzee. The islands are politically part of the province of Flevoland and are part of the Nieuw Land National Park, which was opened in 2018. The islands are located about four kilometers from the Houtribdijk, which connects Enkhuizen in the province of Noord-Holland and Lelystad in the province of Flevoland. Sand, clay and silt from the Markermeer itself were used to create the Marker Wadden. The main aim of the project is to renature the biologically poor lake, which, as a result of the embankment, suffers primarily from the deposition of silt. This suffocates the animal and plant life on the bottom of the lake and clouds the water, which has significantly reduced the ecological quality of the area. Fish, crustaceans and aquatic plants therefore have little chance of survival, which has indirectly also led to a decline in the populations of water and sea birds. The first phase of the project envisaged the creation of a first archipelago of five islands with a total size of around 1000 hectares and was initially completed in 2020. On the largest of these islands, the so-called harbor or main island, there are a number of buildings that together form the Nederzetting op Marker Wadden (German: "Settlement on the Marker Wadden"); however, permanent settlement with residential buildings is not planned. When the plans are fully implemented, a nature and recreation area of around 10,000 hectares is to be created, which corresponds to a seventh of the surface of the Markermeer. Of this, 5500 hectares alone are to be used for renaturalized underwater landscapes. This makes it one of the largest nature projects in Western Europe. The project is being implemented by the Vereniging Natuurmonumenten and the Rijkswaterstaat transport authority. The first new island has an area of 250 hectares and was officially opened on September 24, 2016 by State Secretary Martijn van Dam. Since 2018, this island has also been open to the public. Although the Dutch name suggests it, the Marker Wadden are not a Wadden area from a geological point of view. In this case, the Dutch word wadden comes from the Latin word vadum, which means "shallow place" or "ford". The name is used metaphorically here: it refers to how the land was formed, to the archipelago character and to the ecological value of the newly created area.