Bogs, swamps and wetlands

In bogs and swamps the ground is permanently saturated with water. In raised bogs, peat mosses grow that hold a lot of water; over a very long time, peat forms beneath them from plant remains that hardly decay because of the wetness. This ground barely bears weight. In some places a mat of plants grows out over open water and floats – from above it looks like firm ground.

Whether you sink in depends on how your weight is spread. Standing, you press all your weight into the ground through two small soles – like a high heel in soft lawn. Lying down or leaning back spreads the same weight over a much larger area, and you sink in far less. It is the same principle as snowshoes.

Sticky mud also holds feet by suction: if you pull sharply, a low pressure forms under the foot and holds it back. Slow, small movements let water flow in underneath and free the foot more easily. That is why frantic thrashing makes things worse, not better.

The best preparation is a route on marked paths and boardwalks, a map that shows them and a look at the forecast, especially for fog. Tell someone where you are going and when you plan to be back, and take a charged phone packed waterproof.

Learn to read the ground. Warning signs are very green, smooth patches that look strikingly flat, open water between moss cushions, ground that sways or bounces as you step, and spots where water oozes up when you press down. A walking pole helps you probe the ground before the next step. If in doubt, take the longer but safe way.

Fog can roll in very quickly over a bog and then takes away all orientation. Do not wait until you can see nothing at all: turn back in time, or stand still on the path and wait. Anyone who carries on cross-country in fog almost inevitably leaves the safe path.

If you sink in above the knees or cannot get out: do not thrash. Stop, lean back and spread your weight over as large an area as possible, for example by getting your backpack underneath you. Then free your legs slowly, one at a time. If you cannot get free or start to get cold, call the local emergency number (112 in the EU) and describe your location as precisely as you can.

Helpers stay on firm ground. Anyone who steps into the swamp themselves quickly gets just as stuck, and then there are two people in trouble instead of one. Hold out a pole, a rope or a jacket and call for help. When someone is stuck for a long time, the cold is the bigger problem: wet legs chill strongly even in summer.

So take spare socks and a dry layer. And remember that many bogs are nature reserves. Walking off the paths may be prohibited because bogs are sensitive habitats that recover only very slowly. So the paths protect not only you but the bog as well.

Films show the scene where someone slowly sinks completely into quicksand or a bog. In reality you should not expect that: a person is lighter than wet mud or sand, so you usually only sink to a certain depth. It is still dangerous because you are stuck – through cold, exhaustion, lack of help or, on the coast, rising water.

On tidal mudflats exactly this danger is added: soft mud can hold you fast while the tide comes in. So mudflat walks are only done with a local guide who knows the tides and the tidal channels.

Bogs store large amounts of carbon and are home to many specialised species. Many were drained in the past and are now being rewetted at great effort. Staying on the boardwalks lets you experience this special landscape without harming it.