Iconic Water Features Sailing Route
This sailing route takes you to 13 iconic water features that are part of the Currents in Waterland story trail in the Waterland van Friesland area. The directions start and end in the town of Lemmer but you can start the route from any of the villages and towns along the way. The route is ideally suited to motorboats. Board your own boat or hire one in the area. There are plenty of boat rental companies to choose from. The route described below is spread over seven days. This gives you enough time to disembark every so often so you can explore the area on foot or by bike. Tip! Be sure to bring (folding) bikes with you!
The route can be sailed a…
This sailing route takes you to 13 iconic water features that are part of the Currents in Waterland story trail in the Waterland van Friesland area. The directions start and end in the town of Lemmer but you can start the route from any of the villages and towns along the way. The route is ideally suited to motorboats. Board your own boat or hire one in the area. There are plenty of boat rental companies to choose from. The route described below is spread over seven days. This gives you enough time to disembark every so often so you can explore the area on foot or by bike. Tip! Be sure to bring (folding) bikes with you!
The route can be sailed all year round. The bridges you pass along the way operate throughout the day in spring and summer. In autumn and the winter, they operate on demand and can also be opened remotely with the water sports app. To arrange this, it is often necessary to call at least two hours in advance. You can find out more about the bridges at www.vaarweginformatie.nl.
Helpful hint: Always use a nautical chart to navigate. That way, you can also check the current depths of the routes.
Day to day
Below is a description of the route with the itinerary for each day. You will find details of 11 of the 13 iconic water features you will see along the way and information about mooring your boat in the harbours and marinas.
Day 1: Lemmer – Joure
Day 2: Joure – Sneek – IJlst
Day 3: IJlst – Bolsward – Makkum
Day 4: Makkum – Tjerkwerd – Workum
Day 5: Workum – Gaastmeer – Hemelum
Day 6: Hemelum – Woudsend – Sloten
Day 7: Sloten – Lemmer
Sights on this route
Woudagemaal: largest steam pumping station in the world
Visit the largest steam pumping station in the world!
Woudagemaal: largest steam pumping station in the world
Woudagemaal: largest steam pumping station in the world
Gemaalweg 1
8531 PS Lemmer
Follega Bell Tower
The Follega bell tower stands in a small round graveyard. It has a four-sided dome roof and houses a bell that is 78 cm in diameter, which was cast by P. van den Ghein in 1596.
Marchjepolle Island beach on Lake Tjeukemeer
One way to really enjoy the Waterland van Friesland area is to visit a little beach that you can only get to by boat. Marchjepolle is a small man-made island on Lake Tjeukemeer and the beach here is unique. Moor your boat, spread out your towel and enjoy!
Marchjepolle Island beach on Lake Tjeukemeer
Marchjepolle Island beach on Lake Tjeukemeer
Zuivelweg
8536VK Oosterzee
Tjeukemeer (Tsjûkemar)
The Tjeukemeer is the largest inland lake in Friesland.
Langweer
Langweer is a true watersports destination. From this centrally located village in the Frisian lake area, you can sail in all directions.
Langweerder Wielen (Langwarder Wielen)
The Langweerder Wielen is located to the west of Joure.
Goaiingarypster Puollen
The Goingarijpster Puollen is connected to the Sneekermeer at multiple locations.
Sneekermeer
The Sneekermeer (Frisian and official: Snitser Mar) is, of course, known for the Sneekweek, the annual sailing races held on this lake.
Kolmeersland Starteiland Sneekermeer
Net buiten Sneek, in het Sneekermeer, ligt het Kolmeersland, oftewel het Starteiland, dat vooral bekend is vanwege de zeilwedstrijden tijdens de Sneekweek en het skûtsjesilen. Rondom het eiland kan worden aangemeerd in één van de jachthavens.
Kolmeersland Starteiland Sneekermeer
Kolmeersland Starteiland Sneekermeer
Starteiland
komeerlan 1
8626 GD Offingawier
Café Restaurant 't Foarunder
Tussenstop: meer aan bij het Starteiland en geniet van unieke horeca aan het water
Sneek (Snits)
Sneek, or Snits as we say in Friesland, is the water sports city of the Netherlands. But Sneek is more than water sports and the Sneekweek. The city is bustling with events, culture, unique hotspots, and nice shops.
Water Gate Sneek
The Waterpoort in Sneek is a water gate, a gate in a defensive wall that connects a city to a waterway. In the 15th and 16th century, a defensive wall had been built around Sneek.
IJlst (Drylts)
IJlst (or Drylts in Frisian) is not only one of the famous 11 cities, but also a 'wood city'. For many years, tree trunks were processed here by the legendary wood trading companies Oppedijk and S.O. de Vries.
Museum en Werkplaats Houtstad IJlst
Experience the history of IJlst during an active visit to: Museum and workshop Houtstad IJlst. IJlst has been connected with wood for many centuries.
Houtzaagmolen de Rat
Visit wind powered sawmill ‘De Rat’ and step back in time three hundred years!
Bolsward (Boalsert)
Bolsward, or Boalsert as we say in Friesland, is the city where history and architecture play a leading role. Let yourself be carried away by the rich history of this eleven cities city.
Fyftjin en Fierder
Fyftjin en Fierder is een kunstwerk van de hand van Pieter Jan Stallen. Het werk gaat over historie én toekomst van de Elfstedentocht, heel nadrukkelijk over allebei!
Terpdorp Allingawier
Allingawier is een pittoresk terpdorpje, gelegen tussen de IJsselmeerkust en Hanzestad Bolsward.
Makkum
Makkum is a seaside resort on the IJsselmeer coast in Southwest Friesland, just south of the Afsluitdijk.
Afsluitdijk Wadden Centre
On the Afsluitdijk causeway, at Kornwerderzand, you will find a remarkable building resembling a foaming wave, breaking on the causeway wall: this is the Afsluitdijk Wadden Centre.
Jaagpad langs de Workumertrekvaart
Een prachtig jaagpad om langs te fietsen of wandelen is het jaagpad bij Tjerkwerd langs de Workumertrekvaart. Je fietst of wandelt direct langs het water.
Workum (Warkum)
Workum (or Warkum as we say in Friesland), is one of the famous Frisian cities that has enjoyed city rights since 1399. Located on the shores of the former Zuiderzee and bordering the Frisian lakes.
Beach Langehoekspôlle
On the east side of the Langehoekspôlle in the Fluessen, also known as Knine-eilân, you will find a delightful swimming beach.
Fluezen (Fluessen)
De Fluessen, in het Fries Fluezen, is het op één na grootste meer van Friesland. De Fluessen grenst aan de Morra en het Heegermeer en aan verschillende kleine natuurgebieden zoals de Vogelhoek, in het Fries de Fûgelhoeke.
De Wolvetinte
De Wolvetinte is a beautiful nature reserve near Aent Lieuwespolder that provides ideal habitat for waders and several types of ducks. The quality of the habitat is preserved by the local bird protection agency Fûgelûntwyk It Heidenskip and its partners.
Morra (De Morra)
De Morra is een meer wat grenst aan de Fluessen en het Johan Friso kanaal. Dorpen in de buurt van de Morra zijn Koudum, Hemelum en Warns.
Oudemirdumer Klif (cliff at Oudemirdum)
The cliff at Oudemirdum is 6 metres high. It was formed during the last ice age but one when the land was pushed up by enormous glaciers that advanced from Scandinavia and deposited large boulders in Gaasterland.
Oudemirdumer Klif (cliff at Oudemirdum)
Oudemirdumer Klif (cliff at Oudemirdum)
De Dollen
8567 HP Oudemirdum
Mirnserklif
If you set off from the Rijsterbos forest and walk in the direction of Lake IJsselmeer you will come to the cliff at Mirns. It is a place that attracts kite surfers, kite flyers and beach lovers. The cliff was formed during the last ice age but one.
Rode Klif (Red Cliff) at Lake IJsselmeer
At the edge of Lake IJsselmeer there is a red cliff that is 10 metres high. It was formed during the last ice age but one when the land was pushed up by glaciers that advanced from Scandinavia. The forces exerted by the ice created hills in the landscape.
Rode Klif (Red Cliff) at Lake IJsselmeer
Rode Klif (Red Cliff) at Lake IJsselmeer
Skarl
8721 EX Warns
Stavoren (Starum)
Stavoren (or Starum as we say in Friesland) is very much the main city of the IJsselmeer, being enclosed by the lake on three sides. It is also the oldest city of Friesland, founded around 300 BC at a waterway, and gaining city rights in the 11th century.
Drowned land of Elahuizen
In the Fluessen, you will find a buoy marking where the village of Elahuizen used to be.
Heegermeer (Hegemer Mar)
The Heegermeer is named after the adjacent village of Heeg.
Woudsend (Wâldsein)
Woudsend is a village nestled between Lake Heegermeer and Lake Slotermeer.
Ie Akwadukt
South of Woudsend, since 2007, you can find the Ie Aqueduct: an aqueduct at the intersection of the river De Ie and the N928.
Slotermeer (Sleattemer Mar)
The Sleattemer Mar (also known as the Slotermeer) is situated between the three towns of Sloten, Balk, and Woudsend.
Sloten (Sleat)
Sloten (or Sleat as we say in Friesland) is the smallest Elfsteden town in Friesland. This walled mini-city is also called sipelstêd (Frisian for onion city) thanks to the unique shape of an onion.
