It is a steep climb to the top of the mound of Hegebeintum. 'Hege', meaning high in Frisian, is well chosen. At nearly 9 meters above sea level, the mound is the highest in the Netherlands and Germany, a true challenge for the calves in the vast Wadden Delta. The church tower rises above the roofs of the surrounding houses and the tree-lined borders. It is as if the mound, which has been largely excavated, stretches to touch the sky with its spire. It is a beacon.