There's a unique Dutch sport called Mudwalking and this Pinoy couple tried it for their honeymoon

Imagine walking an 8-kilometer stretch in the mud for fun. That’s what the Dutch do for leisure when the weather and the tide favor the strong-willed adventurer.

What the heck is mudwalking, you may ask? Mudwalking, or wadlopen in Dutch, is a simple activity with a simple concept: walking across the mudflats to explore the largest natural park in Europe, the Wadden Sea.

During low tide, the mudbank becomes accessible to walk by hikers, as they wrestle through  three to five inches of mud, until they reach the dike or nearby islands in the Wadden Sea.

The thrill of the adventure is to make the trip in time to reach the island or the dike before the water comes flooding back in. It is not as easy as it sounds. Hikers don’t only have to fight their way through layers of mud, they also have to battle the wind and the cold in the open sea.

Mudwalking is also sometimes known as “horizontal alpinism” – like climbing a mountain, albeit horizontally.

During our honeymoon trip in October, my husband and I decided to try out mudwalking before the season ends. We were one of the last couples to walk through the Wadden Sea.

In November, it becomes impossible to walk in the mudflats due to the extreme cold or unfavorable weather conditions.

As the Netherlands was in a partial lockdown in October, we could not join any mudwalking tours. Only four people were allowed to be together in a group, so we had to find our own personal tour guide to walk us through the perilous muds of the sea. 

There are a few reasons why you need a licensed guide. First, it is dangerous to trek the mud on your own; one wrong step can give you an injury.

Second, you might get lost in your tracks and not make it in time before the water floods in the sea. Guides are there to make sure you don’t get injured during the journey, and to make sure you actually get out of the mudflats before the high tide.

The tide changes all the time and in fact, it is illegal to chart new routes across the mudflats. All guides must go through three years of rigorous training on first aid, weather, tides, emergency and navigation.

Preparing for battle

The Wadden Sea is located in the northernmost tip of the Netherlands, four hours by train from where we live. It is located in one of the most untouched parts of the country, away from the Randstad (major cities).

As honeymooners during the Corona period, this came as a convenient excuse to be away from the crowd and into nature. We stayed in a small wooden cabin in Dokkum, a small town in Friesland, around 15 kilometers from the nature reserve of the mudflats.

We travelled by bus to Moddergat, the town next to the sea, where we met Patricia, our tour guide, in an old garnalenfabriek (shrimp factory). We paid 20 euros (P1,200) for a four-hour trek in the mudflats.

Stepping into Moddergat was an experience of its own, being surrounded by just the open sea, winding green hills, and occasionally some small houses. Inside the shrimp factory, we changed into our hiking shoes. Many of the hikers leave their shoes there so the next batch of hikers can use them, for free. I thought that was a wonderful and sustainable concept.

Carlos and I surveyed the smelly, damp room full of old hiking shoes until we found our sizes, 36.5 and 42.5. (Tip: Use shoes with high-cut as low-cut shoes could be easily removed from your feet once you get stuck in the mud).

We wore our warmest jackets and a pair of short pants. With nothing but some water, coffee, and bread, we trekked the hills to reach the open sea.

The secret to mudwalking

As first time wadlopers (mudwalkers), it was a disaster.

I got stuck in the mud many times. As soon as I got out of the sticky mess, I would step in another thick layer and the cycle of doom repeats. It felt like a never-ending fight against nature.

Patricia gave us a trick as she saw us stumbling like babies in the mudflats: “Do not linger in the mud for too long, otherwise, the mud will settle in more quickly, and the harder it will be for you to get out.”

That made sense, I thought. Lingering would only prolong your agony, and the more difficult it is to step out of it, as the mud hardens around your shoes.

She had a second trick up her sleeve. Patricia demonstrated how to glide and slide through the mud. Carlos found that more fun. “It’s like skating on mud,” he said.

By the time we got used to trekking in the mud, we already spent full two hours. At that moment, we were able to reach our next destination: the oyster and mussel bank.

Free mussels and oysters – as long as you clean it yourself

Around 1pm, we reached the oyster and mussel bank. It sat neatly there, in the middle of the sea, covered with seaweeds, and occasionally, some migratory birds perching and resting. Patricia told us that hikers and locals would go to the mussel bank and take some shells with them. Legally, every person is allowed to take 3 kilos of mussels and oysters for free.

We only took a few oysters and mussels (around 200 grams) to cook for dinner. It was fun picking out the mussels by the bank, but removing the shells and seaweed that covered them? Not so much.

After we picked our shells, we continued on our journey. The time is against our side, and we needed to reach the dike before the water floods in in about three hours. Our guide ensured us that we had plenty of time, but my knees were getting numb from the cold and fatigue. I was only able to give her a weak smile for an answer.

Walking through the nature reserve became easier as time passed by. I guessed we  got better in walking in the mud and enduring the cold.

On the way to the dike, we stopped by for 10 minutes in the middle of the sea to look at the vastness of the Wadden Sea reserve. It was breathtaking. It was chilly, our feet wet and in pain, but the whole area was so beautiful and tranquil, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, protected both by laws of men and nature.

Finally, cemented road

As we reached the dike going back to the starting point of our journey, we felt the hunger pangs kicking in. We stopped by to enjoy hot coffee, some fruits and bread. Our guide thanked us – not a lot of her clients bring her food or hot coffee during the journey.

“We are Filipinos,” I said. “We always have food with us.”

The journey back to the shrimp factory was the quickest and easiest part of the trip. Mudwalking is indeed not for the faint of heart, but it is an activity that Carlos and I did not regret doing.

Back in our cabin, we enjoyed some fresh oysters, mussels and wine. Walking in the mudflats for four hours, traversing the stubborn seabed and fighting against the cold wind— these must be the first real challenge we conquered as husband and wife.

The mud taught us many things: perseverance, patience and hard work being the most important lessons. As Patricia aptly said, when stuck in the mud or confronted with new challenges, “Do not linger in it for too long.”

That’s probably one of the best pieces of advice we got as a newly-wed couple.

— LA, GMA News