Witness the tidal chorus between vast sand shores and enticing pine forest. As you travel on Fanø you might feel like you have just entered the Shire and the rough Northern territories of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth.
How is the experience?
Wandering through the raw beauty of the island of Fanø on the Danish West Coast draws your attention to the present, as the many voices of wind and water shape the ever-changing lands. It is the northern border of the UNESCO natural heritage site, the Wadden Sea.
One moment you might hear the piping of the gales, the next you enter the shelter of woods surrounded by the soft rustling of pine needles. On calmer days the tides unveil the gurgling of the mud while the reeds sway their nimble limbs in hushed songs.
As you travel on Fanø you might feel like you have just entered the Shire and the rough Northern territories of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth. Hobbit-like houses with thatched roofs greet you along the way from the harbour village to the meeting point in the heart of the island. A merged landscape of crooked pine forests and golden marshes surround the high viewpoint, which let’s you glimpse the North Sea and parts of the quiet 8 km journey you are about to embark on.
On the path enclosed by weatherbeaten birches and creaking pines you hear the comforting hum of the elusive and rarely visible great bittern alongside singing finches and the latter of the gulls. Once you enter the hilly dunes covered in heather the soundscape is dominated by the sighs of the long grass and crispy dry mosses under your feet. In the warmer seasons when you begin to hear the bees buzzing, you will know it is time for a rest down by the plantation near a wind-protected pond.
You will enjoy a picnic, prepared by your guide Simon. At this point he will be very happy to share songs and folklore of the island with you or guide you through a listening meditation sitting or lying down on the moss. After the strengthening break and meal the trail leads you to the wide shallow beach. If the weather conditions allow it, a jump into the sea is very recommended.
Finally, the last stage of the walk along the southern tip of Fanø, brings you over the mudflats with their busy bubbling microorganisms to the tidal creeks of the old harbor, where a chorus of shore birds will greet you, diving in and out of the hushed reefs. You might encounter dunlins, bar-tailed godwits, oystercatchers, common redshank, nightjars, black-tailed godwits and the kentish plover.
Having reached the end of the quiet walk you will gently reenter human settlements in Sønderho, an old cozy sailor’s village, which has been named the most beautiful Danish village several years in a row. If you are lucky you will see wild does and hear the local musicians playing the traditional dances, before you have a late lunch or make your way back to the North of the island again.
Who is the host?
My name is Simon and I live on the island of Fanø in the Danish Wadden Sea. When I stranded here many years ago I suddenly found myself home in a community nestled in the raw beauty of wind, light and dunes. The quiet here takes all kinds of shapes, from cracking pine cones to grass writing on sand. And between those sounds I make my living as a musician and project leader, supporting communities and raising awareness for sensuousness and the natural environment through my platform Ørenlyd.
I first got interested in silence, through music and storytelling, as an element that creates presence and community. In recent years, I have lead soundwalks and listening workshops in Finland, Estonia and Denmark. Now I work with listening as a resource for personal and artistic development as well as environmental consciousness in collaboration with artists, museums and schools.
What are people saying?
It was fascinating how everyone in the group experienced the sounds during the walk very differently. Some have almost experienced them as music, others have been on great adventurous journeys with the sounds, and some have come a long way inside themselves. It was very interesting. I myself - and also several others - realised that there was a great playfulness to the beautiful song of birds and the sounds of the trees animated by the wind.
Hanne Kjær
A great way to experience the outside world. To be completely quiet. Enjoy the sounds of nature. And then also accommodate man-made sounds with a new sensibility. My little sister, who is a true meek Jutlander, but who also talks like a waterfall, thought: „Great. It was truly a completely different experience. I saw and heard much more. I have never experienced anything like it.“
Ragnhild Kallehauge
A very surprising and beautiful experience to be on a walk with Simon - a whole new world of sound opened up to me. The exercises in the beginning of the walk really made a difference to my approach to listening - to nature, to myself and others.
Birte Locatelli-Rossi
Price
1 person 500 DKK (75$)
2 persons 900 DKK (130$)
3 persons 1300 DKK (190$)
4 persons 1700 DKK (250$)
5 persons 2000 DKK (290$)
6 persons 2200 DKK (320$)
Schedule
9.00 am: Meeting at Fanø Pælebjerg Parking Lot
9.15 am: Introduction to Acoustic Ecology with Deep Listening exercises
9.30 am: Starting the walk
11.00 am: Picnic break with folk songs and stories from the region, performed by Simon
11.30 am: Time for more Deep Listening exercises and meditations inspired by Pauline Oliveros and R. Murray Schafer.
12.00 am: Path by the beach, possibility for swimming.
2:00 pm: Arriving in Sønderho, possibility for late lunch in a local restaurant
Intrusions
You may encounter some noise at the car park. Coming closer to our destination in the south you might meet other people at the beach. If there is a chance for encountering air-traffic, like off-shore helicopters, or other seasonal intrusions on the requested day, Simon will suggest an alternative date.
Contact Host
Terms and Conditions: Please note that by submitting this form you agree:
This walk does not include recording equipment, nor is it designed for recording purposes. If you need advice or guidance to record natural soundscapes in the Danish Wadden Sea area, please describe what you are looking for and get in touch through the Register form.
In the event of a cancellation by the host, you will be notified by the host as soon as possible. You will be offered alternative dates for the walk or a total refund of already paid amount.
The host reserves the right to cancel or modify experiences and/or events in the following situations:
Unfavourable weather conditions that render the activity non-doable (floods, strong winds and/or rain, etc.)
Sickness
Force Majeure: In the case of circumstances beyond normal control, such as war, civil or political unrest, actions and orders from the authorities, strikes, catastrophes, epidemics and/or pandemics or other severe damages or highly unexpected factors, the host may cancel the experiences and/or events, and the payments received to date will not be refunded.
If you (the customer) cancel the participation in the activity, at least 72 hours before the start of the booked activity, you will get a refund of your payment (minus the QPI service fees and any money transaction/ processing fees)
If you cancel your booking later than 72 hours before the start of the activity, you lose your right to apply for a refund.