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About the wade march

in Denmark's unique tidal area

Wadden Sea National Park

Wadden Sea National Park, Denmark's largest national park, was inaugurated in 2010 and covers an area of ​​over 1.400 square kilometers along the southwest Jutland coast. The area is part of the international Wadden Sea, which stretches along the coasts of Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The national park is known for its vast tidal flats, sandbanks, marshlands and rich birdlife. Every year, millions of migratory birds stop here on their journey between the Arctic and Africa, making the area a true paradise for bird lovers and nature lovers. The unique interaction between sea, sky and land gives the Wadden Sea National Park an unparalleled dynamism and biodiversity.

Wadden Sea National Park

Wadden Sea National Park, Denmark's largest national park, was inaugurated in 2010 and covers an area of ​​over 1.400 square kilometers along the southwest Jutland coast. The area is part of the international Wadden Sea, which stretches along the coasts of Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The national park is known for its vast tidal flats, sandbanks, marshlands and rich birdlife. Every year, millions of migratory birds stop here on their journey between the Arctic and Africa, making the area a true paradise for bird lovers and nature lovers. The unique interaction between sea, sky and land gives the Wadden Sea National Park an unparalleled dynamism and biodiversity.

The national park is named after the Wadden Sea, a unique tidal area along the southwest Jutland coast, known for its dynamic landscape and outstanding nature. The park covers an area characterized by tides, sandbanks, mudflats and marshes, which have been shaped by the forces of the sea and the sky over thousands of years. The Wadden Sea contains a rich cultural history with traces of old dikes, marsh villages, shipyard settlements and a life closely linked to the sea. The area has been home to fishermen, farmers and seafarers for centuries, and the changing nature has always been a fundamental part of everyday life in the Wadden Sea area.

Tidal landscape and cultural heritage

The Wadden Sea National Park is located in southwestern Jutland and is part of the largest tidal area in Europe. Here, the landscape changes constantly with the rhythm of the tides, and the area consists of extensive mudflats, sandbanks, marshes and salt meadows. The park is an internationally recognized nature area and an important resting place for millions of migratory birds. Explore the rich cultural history of the marsh villages, experience the importance of dike culture for life with the sea, or explore the mudflats with a nature guide and gain insight into the unique ecosystem below the sea surface. The national park is a unique meeting between nature and man through millennia.

Life with the sea – in the footsteps of nature and history

For centuries, the Wadden Sea area has been characterized by human activity – from early coastal settlements to today’s dike construction and village life. The landscape contains traces of shipyards, old ports, abandoned marsh farms and the eternal battles against the forces of the sea. The area is also rich in art and culture, reflecting the close relationship between people and the tidal landscape. The national park tells the story of a life where the rhythm of nature has set the agenda – and still does.

A living landscape in balance

Since its establishment in 2010, the Wadden Sea National Park has aimed to preserve the unique tidal area and its rich natural and cultural heritage. The national park protects important habitats for birds, seals and wading life, while promoting sustainable tourism and supporting local communities through nature-based businesses and activities. Here, nature conservation, outdoor recreation and cultural history go hand in hand in an area where people and nature have lived side by side for millennia.

A brief overview of the national park
  • 5 world-famous royal and cultural historical sites, including Kronborg Castle and Fredensborg Castle
  • Birdlife; The heathland attracts greylag geese and great snipe, while the lakes are habitat for kingfishers, great spotted woodpeckers and great crested grebes.
  • 6 important habitat types:
    • Forests
    • Coastal areas and sandy beaches
    • Lakes and streams
    • Dune areas
    • Marine areas
    • Pastures and meadows
  • Natura 2000; The majority of the national park is designated as a Natura 2000 area, emphasizing its importance for the conservation of biodiversity.
  • Biodiversity; The park is home to rich wildlife, including several species of deer, foxes, badgers, buzzards, black woodpeckers, ospreys, owls and white-tailed eagles
  • Area distribution:
    • 24 percent lakes and streams
    • 51 percent forest
    • 11 percent cultivated fields
    • 8 percent light open nature
    • 5 percent cities
    • 1 percent summer cottage areas
  • 262 square kilometers and thus the second largest National Park in Denmark
  • Denmark's two largest lakes, Arresø and Esum Sø

Denmark's largest national park – inaugurated in 2010
Part of UNESCO World Heritage since 2014

Over 10 million migratory birds pass through the area annually.
Including important species such as the light-bellied gander, the great copperhead and the redshank

Marsh and wading pool – nature in constant change
6 important habitat types:

  • Wadden Seas and Intertidal Zones

  • Sandbanks and flakes

  • Salt and freshwater marsh

  • Beach meadows

  • Dunes and seawalls

  • Shipyards and crucible landscapes

Rich cultural history with traces from the Iron Age to the present day
Marsh farms, dike construction and ancient seafaring and fishing communities

Approximately 1.460 square kilometers of area
Stretches along the west coast of Jutland from Ho Bugt to the German border

Along the entire coast – a dynamic landscape created by tides
World-class bird area and habitat for seals and fish, among others

Nature, people and culture merge into a living whole

The creation of the Wadden Sea March

The Wadden Sea March is a walking march that focuses on the unique natural experiences in the Wadden Sea National Park, which was inaugurated in 2010 and included on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2014. The routes are carefully planned so that participants can experience the unique marsh landscape, the dynamic wading system and the historic villages that tell the story of life with the sea through the centuries.

The national park's more than 1.400 square kilometers offer hikes through open spaces, salt meadows, dikes and shipyard settlements. The area's rich birdlife and the changing nature with the tides make every hike a special experience. For millennia, the Wadden Sea has been characterized by both human activity and the forces of nature, which is clearly reflected in the landscape and the many cultural and historical traces.

The vision of the Wadden Sea March is to strengthen the walking culture and give more people the opportunity to experience the unique tidal landscape on foot. After the Covid-19 pandemic, more people have become aware of the value of nature, and the march gives participants the opportunity to find peace, move in a magnificent landscape and create new communities under the open sky.

The team behind the Royal March

My name is Brian Damsgaard, 45 years old, trained police officer, personal trainer and coach.

During the period of Covid-19, I was opened to what walking can do. Not only in relation to the body and the physical aspect, but also for the mental. The mindset. Good constructive thoughts and ideas suddenly found their way because I was in a situation where I gave my thoughts free rein. There was no noise or disturbances, but rather peace and space for reflection.

My first event was in 2024 – Skjoldunge March – where 1.000 happy participants took part. This gave me the courage to take on more events. That's why I've now taken on the Wadden Sea March and hope that I can attract a lot of walkers to this unique area of ​​Denmark.

Buy tickets

FAQ - Frequently asked questions

Here are a number of the typical questions we get. You can read much more about the trip and the preparations on the page worth knowing . Should you have any other questions, you are always welcome to contact us at kontakt@fremadmarch.dk.

The routes go through the scenic surroundings of the Wadden Sea National Park. The routes are planned with beauty, experiences, challenges and attractions in mind. If you are not already in love with the national park, you will certainly be on your route.

The routes will be marked with wire flags, so you can safely enjoy your route without having to look down at a phone all the time to find your way. 

However, as an extra precaution, we recommend that you have downloaded the selected route to the Komoot app. Before starting, you will receive the route in GPS form, after which the app will show you the way with your phone, just like you know it from car navigation. Your mobile phone or GPS device will guide you through even the darkest forests without any problems.

With the right training, anything is possible. Longer trips are a lot about mindset and belief in your own abilities. Prepare yourself, spend time on training trips, get out into nature and feel what it can give you. Because it can give you a lot.

The training rides also help you gain experience in choosing shoes, socks, and what food your body works best with. As the difficulty and length of your training rides increase, your body also adapts to the distances and increased endurance demands.

Take note and choose a distance that suits you and your level of ambition.

We have placed the depots so that there will be opportunities to use the toilet and refill water at all of them. In addition, there will be soda, coffee, fruit, energy and chocolate bars, mini salami, sweets, rye bread, toast with Nutella and much more.

Required equipment: backpack, mobile phone, power bank, headlamp, water bottle/camel bag, overshirt.

In addition, it may be a good idea to bring an extra pair of socks as well as food and snacks.

It may be wise to bring some rye bread snacks or buns. Although there are depots along the way, you should be aware that the march is a self-catering event. Test what works for you on your training trips and make a meal plan for yourself. It may help you to eat a rye bread snack every 2 hours. On the long marches you will feel hungry, and so it is important to force yourself to eat to give your body some energy to work with. Otherwise, your body may go cold.

If you are forced to abandon the hike, there are several places where you can shorten your trip and return to the start/finish line or head towards the nearest depot.

Shortly after your registration, you will receive an order confirmation with a QR code. This code must be presented before starting in the starting area.

You will receive ongoing emails about the event, and in the weeks leading up to the event you will receive a link to the route you have registered for.

The starting point is that if you become injured or ill, the buyer (participant) has no right of withdrawal, cf. the Consumer Agreement Act on Internet Commerce, as recreational leisure activities are not included in the agreement. Transfer of starting number can be done by sending an email to kontakt@fremadmarch.dk.