Where it all begins – the trailhead on Sylt

24. January 2025

Where it all begins – the trailhead on Sylt

Peter “Hobble” with the new sign.

On January 3, 2025, a significant milestone for the Nord Süd Trail (NST) was reached: The Trailhead at Ellenbogen on Sylt, the northern terminus of the NST, was officially inaugurated. This means that the trail now has an official starting point – an important step for the initiative. But how did it all come about? We will tell you the story behind it in the following lines.

The way to the trailhead - a review

The story begins in February 2022, when I contacted the so-called „Zipfelbund“ My question was simple: May the Nord Süd Trail initiative place a sign at Ellenbogen on Sylt?

The response came quickly. A representative of the Zipfelbund explained that the request would need to be forwarded to the Sylt Tourism Service.

Following this advice, I reached out to the Sylt Tourism Service in March 2022, providing a detailed description of the trailhead sign idea—but at first, nothing happened.
Almost two years later, in May 2024, I decided to try again. This time, I not only contacted the Sylt Tourism Service again but also reached out to the municipality of List on Sylt and other potential stakeholders. Finally, at the end of May, things started moving: Mr. Thomas Diedrichsen, the owner of the Ellenbogen area on Sylt, reached out via email.

Mr. Diedrichsen had heard about my request through the tourist administration of List. He explained that his family had no objections to such a sign and would gladly grant permission. However, he pointed out that Ellenbogen is a protected nature reserve. Therefore, the Lower Nature Conservation Authority of the Nordfriesland district would also need to approve the request.

TrailheadSylt01 — The northernmost point in Germany and the new trailhead on Sylt

I then contacted the Nature Conservation Authority and explained what was planned. The authority finally gave the green light: From a conservation standpoint, there were no objections as long as no interventions in nature were made. In a friendly phone call, I also received valuable advice on the practical implementation of the project.
Once all the necessary approvals were obtained, I began designing the sign. The layout was coordinated with the members of the Nord Süd Trail initiative and Mr. Diedrichsen. The original plan was to install the trailhead sign in September 2024, but unfortunately, some scheduled appointments were postponed. Eventually, January 3, 2025, was set as the new date.

A permanent sign for the North South Trail

On January 3, 2025, at 1:00 PM, the time had finally come: I installed the trailhead sign at the transition between the dunes and the parking lot. Unfortunately, the invited guests, including Mr. Diedrichsen, several trail angels, and hikers, were unable to attend the ceremony. So, the sign was inaugurated quietly—with a small bottle of champagne.

At the same time, I mounted a second, smaller sign at the “northernmost point of Germany.” Since this sign is exposed to harsh weather conditions and sea spray, it was designed to be easily replaced if necessary. In the past, the „Zipfelbund“, which maintains the sign at the northernmost point, repeatedly removed the NST sign. We at the NST initiative found this very unfortunate, especially since several attempts to establish contact regrettably failed.
However, since the new sign at the northernmost point now has official approval from the authorities, which is clearly stated on the sign itself, we hope that it will remain in place in the future. We remain open to constructive cooperation with the Zipfelbund.
The permanently installed trailhead sign at Ellenbogen now marks the official starting point of the Nord Süd Trail. It is a symbol of connection between hikers, nature lovers, and the breathtaking landscape of the North Sea island of Sylt. A milestone that highlights the significance of the NST and invites hikers from all over Germany to explore this unique route.