Calle Schmidt, Windsurfing Pioneer
Our recommendations for Sylt come from Calle Schmidt, a real native of the island, who has a windsurfing and sailing school on Sylt, and who’s attained something like cult status as the one who brought surfing to Sylt back in the 1970s. As he says, List, in the north eastern part of the island, is a place for anyone who enjoy the simple life, peace and quiet and relaxation.
The seaside bistro "Lister Austernperle" is the only one of its kind far and wide, and it lies right on the tidal flats. It’s Calle Schmidt’s first recommendation: "If you're looking for a quiet spot on Sylt in mid-summer, it's often as hard to find as the famous pearl in an oyster." List’s "pearl in the oyster," the "Austernperle," is a great place to sit and look at the tidal flats. While children can build sand castles or play beach volleyball, you can let the day go by. The Lister Austernperle has a wide variety of dishes on its menu, from great fish and seafood to sausages. Local products like lamb, Galloway beef and, of course, oysters, are always on the menu. Prices are moderate and the service extremely friendly. It’s a where people feel welcome, and they return to it again and again.
Calle Schmidt’s second recommendation is Keitum, once the most important village on the island. Keitum is indisputably Sylt’s most beautiful hamlet, with its lovingly preserved Frisian thatched houses, and it’s worth a visit any time of the year. Visitors can experience all the beauty of Keitum by strolling or taking a romantic coach ride through its picturesque streets. A quiet walk on Keitum cliff or the surrounding meadows and pastures are refreshing for both body and soul. One of the centuries-old houses is now a museum: The Altfriesisches Haus, or Old Frisian House. Each room has displays full of facts about daily life as it was once lived here. They contain 18th century furniture and household articles, foldaway beds and cupboards. Sources say a house already stood on the property in 1709. Its last owner, C.P. Hansen (1803-1879), established a collection of objects of local and regional historical interest in his house, where he lived from 1851 until his death. Afterwards, his widow continued to live in there and a teacher managed the museum.
Calle Schmidt’s third and last tip takes us to Braderup Heath. You can wander through it only on wooden footbridges. The sea of pink flowers on the tidal flat side of the island is a conservation area.
The heath is about 137 hectares in area and lies between the villages of Kampen and Braderup. It has been a nature reserve since 1979. In contrast to the natural Atlantic heaths on the west coast of the island, Braderup heath is in part a product of human activity. Long ago, the clearing of the island’s forests led to erosion and soil depletion, which promotes the emergence of marshy heathland.
The heath is a unique natural habitat for a large number of species adapted to extreme conditions (drought, heat, and wind). Up to 2,500 animal and some 150 plant species have been discovered on the heath.
Calle Schmidt says of the heath, "This is my Sylt: Braderup heath and the white cliff. It's a beautiful place to enjoy the island of Sylt in peace and quiet. The heather smells so wonderful when it's in full bloom, and I can find the tranquillity I long for."
There so many ways to enjoy yourself on Sylt. See for yourself how many facets the island has, or just follow Calle Schmidt's recommendations.