Friesland has many lakes and waterways, but the town of Sneek is one of the most popular with three-quarters of the area offering lakes for sailing, fishing, swimming, water-skiing etc.
Friesland is the Netherlands most northern province and is a charming highly colourful area with a distinct character. It is one of the oldest inhabited areas of the Netherlands with evidence of habitation since 400 BC. The Frisians are fiercely independent and still retain their own language, many words and grammer are similar to English due to its West-Germanic origin. Fresians have their own culture and their own names, male surnames tend to end on an ’e’, while family names tend to end on ’ga’.
There was always the constant threat of flooding in Friesland, which made this land hard to conquer, but the country was weakened by internal fighting and eventually allowed Charles V of Spain to incorporate this land into his empire. In 1579 it eventually joined with the other provinces of the Netherlands to establish the Union of Utrecht.
Impressive dykes have been built to control the water and an example can be viewed on a drive to Harlingen. The huge mound of earth reinforced with concrete, stone etc. can make you feel dwarfed with the great protective wall to the immediate left. Across the IJsselmeer is the famour Afsluitdijk that connects Holland to Friesland travelling north to Alkmaar. The length of this dijk is 30 kilometers, the width 90 meters and the complete flatness of view is mesmerizing.
Nowadays people come to Frisland for the country side and the watersports. Although the whole of Friesland is a water sports paradise the town of Sneek is one of the most popular with three-quarters of the area offering lakes for sailing, fishing, swimming, water-skiing etc. The town is located 21km south of Leeuwarden. While traveling around in Friesland, you’ll no doubt see lot’s of Frisian cows, the normal black and white variety. Fries Stamboek was the first try at scentific cow improvement.
In the wintertime ice-skating races are big in Friesland. Skaters are heroes and if you happen to be in Thialf (Heereveen) during a championship, go there and be amazed by the sheer speed and expertise of these skaters.
Lauwersland: special villages
Places like Lauwersoog, Oostmahorn and Zoutkamp are very popular with water sport lovers. Lauwersoog can be recognized from a distance because of its three large locks. It is main center for fishing, boating and tourism in the Lauwer Lake area. There is a fish auction and several seafood restaurants on the harbour. The ferries to the island of Schiermonnikoog leave from this village as well. Zoutkamp is an ancient fortress and fishing village and is the home port of the traditional sailing ships of the ‘Brown Fleet’, in which you can make magnificent sailing trips on (inter)national waters. Oostmahorn, too is a famous water sports and recreation area where water buses, small yachts, fishing boats and sail boats are moored to the old ferry landing. The beach is very popular with windsurfers, swimmers and of course sun worshippers. North of Anjum, along the banks of Lauwers Lake, is the Hoek van de Bant, a truly idyllic spot for surfers, fishers and day trippers. The largest community in Lauwersland is the city of Dokkum. In the summer, the city bustles as countless holiday makers enjoy themselves on the canals and at outdoor cafes. The double ring of canals surrounds a place with a long history. The layout of the streets has remained unchanged since 1650, including the tiny, quaint, crooked streets, the elegant bridges and the beautiful views. Dokkum owes its fame to Boniface, the evangelist who was murdered there in 754. There are many reminders of him in the city: for instance, a church and a chapel with a holy spring. Dokkum also boasts a number of beautiful buildings in various remarkable architectural styles, many of which house museums. Lauwersland has many, many lovely villages. Hogebeintum lies on the highest terp (mount) in the Netherlands. You can find out all about the history of terps at the information center in the village. Just outside of Hogebeintum is the Harsta State, an 18th century estate. If you want to learn more about the traditional life of a fisherman, stop by the dyke-side village of Paesens-Moddergat. In 1883, many of the village’s fishermen drowned during a storm. Their names are listed on a monument on the sea dyke. Memories of the fisherman life are kept alive in the ‘It Fiskershúske’ museum, whose exhibits include three restored fisherman’s houses. Birdaard has a wonderful, impressive windmill and the unique Ruurd Wiersma-hûs. Ruurd Wiersma was a painter in the primitive style, who transformed his house into a colorful palace from top to bottom. The village of Veenklooster boasts the splendid Fogel-sangstate estate, which comprises a wood and parkland grounds, a small zoo and ponds. There is a museum in the Fogelsangstate manor. The mansion It Lytse Slot houses serveral exhibitions, including one on dried flowers, as well as a cosy tearoom. The old and protected town center of Eenrum, encircled by trees, originates from the 19th century is very interesting. Eenrum is an extremely picturesque town, with its small, 13th century church and striking church tower, and magnificent 19th century mansion that houses the village pub, three original village pumps and a number of remarkable farmhouses and homes. The mustard museum, a historical candlemaker’s shop and a wooden-shoe shop are among the town’s tourist attractions. Borg Verhildersum is the great tourists attraction of the village of Leens. The coach house, the Baroque garden with sculptures and a summer house, the museum farm and the tearoom and adjoining restaurant are definitely worth a few hours of your time. The village of Houwerzijl, not far from Leens, boasts a tea museum where you can learn all about the history of tea. After the visit you can regard yourself a tea expert and treat yourself to one of the special teas served in the tearoom. The seal sanctuary at Pieterburen had earned the village an international reputation. Your children are sure to adore the captivating seals, but will also appreciate a visit to the coffee and shop museum, featuring a fully furnished traditional kitchen. Domies Toen is a presbytery garden with remarkable indigenous vegetation and a tea shop.
Lauwersland is one of the oldest cultural-historical landscapes of Europe and is littered with remnants of the past. If any landscape was ever litterly created by human hands, than it is Lauwersland. People have lived here since long before the Christian era. In addition to fishing in the Wadden Sea, they lived from agriculture as the clay soil was very fertile. The inhabitants paid a high price for that fertile soil: the sea regularly swept away their possessions and land. They erected mounds to keep dry. Later complete villages were built on these mounds, usually with a small church in the middle. Whatever direction you look, there is usually a small tower rising in the distance. The churches are lovely and quaint on the outside and impressively silent and austere inside. Experts come from far and near to see the original organs. Today, a number of churches are used for a different purpose. Some are used by artists as studios and many a church houses a museum.
Water Sports
Lauwersland is ideal for water lovers. Anyone wanting to see the area from a completely different perspective can rent a canoe. The smallest waterways are accessible to kayaks and canoes. A fun idea for ‘a day doing something different’, but you can also book packages for several day’s canoeing. Renting pleasure boats is very popular as well. There is overnight accommodation in well-fitted marinas. Sailors and windsurfers can do their favorite sport on Lauwer Lake or the Wadden Sea. Walking across the mud flats to one of the islands is a fantastic sports for athletically inclined nature lovers. The small village of Pieterburen is an (inter)nationally renowned center for mud-flat walking. You can also tackle the flats from, for example, Holwerd or Wierum, under the watchful eye of an experienced guide. Extensive information is available at these centers. Fierljeppen (fenpole jumping) is a traditional Frisian sport that you simply must do or watch in order to get a sense of Frisian folklore. Fishing is something you can do throughout Lauwersland. For the early inhabitants it was hard work, but you can relax and enjoy yourself at a tranquil fishing hole.
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