Scharhoern Island Hamburg's nature reserve in the North Sea
Hamburg's northernmost point is on the island Scharhoern! Like Neuwerk, the island of Scharhörn belongs to Hamburg and is just under six kilometers away from Neuwerk. It can be reached via a mudflat hike or a mudflat car tour. The island is only inhabited by a bird watcher, who accompanies visitors when they enter the island.
From ship graveyard to nature reserve
The island of Scharhörn was already known by the sailors of the Hanseatic League and so some sailor stories revolved around it. The name "Scharhörn", which means "sharp angle", was given to the island because it meant a special obstacle for ships entering the island. Still today you can see some wreckage of the crashed ships.
In 1900 the island was discovered as a breeding ground for rare terns and later declared a nature reserve.
Scharhörn - the bird protection island
Today you can observe unique flocks of birds on Scharhörn. It serves as a breeding and resting place for rare seabirds, which one can also observe well from the public paths. The island gives one a unique sensation due to its complete isolation on the one hand and the numerous bird colonies on the other. When you stand here in the untouched nature and the fascinating flocks of birds fly over you, a very special, almost magical feeling captures you.
