Netherlands: Province of Friesland - Cruising through the home of boating

All roads lead to Sneek - at least all waterways. This has been the case for ages, and rightly so. Because the historic town lies in the centre of Friesland. And Fryslân (as it is called here) is simply inseparable from the wet element. A province on its own keel, so to speak. The symbol of this special connection is the Waterpoort in the centre of Sneek. The double-towered gate shines magnificently in the darkness and is reflected in the harbour basin. Rain is in the air again, not for the first time on this trip. And so what? In Frisian weather finally water.

Cruise starts in Hindeloopen

When our Horizon leaves Le Boat's charter base in the inland harbour of Hindeloopen four days earlier, the sky is cloudless and the wind is barely noticeable. That is soon to change: bad weather is on its way - but not too quickly, hopefully. Because we still want to get to the beach. To begin with, we follow the Yndyk in a southerly direction, the first of the many waterways we will be travelling along in the coming week.

These ditches and canals were dug a long time ago to drain the large moors and make something of the flat land near the North Sea. Tractors plough through the fields, but the cows don't mind. Only a few farms rise up, their roofs pulled down low. The dyke line runs to the west. On the other side, the view stretches into the distance. As they say here, you can already see today who will be visiting tomorrow.

The railway bridge at Hindeloopen and the Kruisslootbrug shortly afterwards are the only two real obstacles of the trip ahead. Both bridges are immovable and have a clearance height of only three metres. There is barely a hand's breadth between the upper edge of the flybridge of our Horizon and the steel and concrete girders. Anyone travelling here from above has to flatten themselves out. It's more comfortable from below.

Ready for the island: Langehoekspolle

After Kruisslootbrug, the route continues in solitude along the dead-straight Jan Broerskanaal, which after just two kilometres flows into the Moarre, the most south-westerly of the lakes in south-west Fryslân. They were formed during the penultimate ice age 200,000 years ago, when they were ploughed into the clayey ground by the advancing glaciers. The fairway is buoyed throughout and is part of the Johan Frisokanaal, which connects the IJsselmeer and the Prinses Margrietkanaal leading towards Groningen.

Following the chain of lakes inland, we join the procession of steel displacement vessels, sloops and sailing yachts travelling in both directions. Moarre (Dutch: Morra) is followed by Holken and Fluezen (Fluessen), the longest lake in the area at just under seven kilometres. Our destination for the day is at its north-eastern end: Langehoekspolle, one of several artificial islands that were created in the 1970s as breakwaters for the town of Heeg.

All offer sheltered moorings, which are free of charge, but no other permanent services apart from smart bollards. Instead, there is pure nature, meadows with barbecue areas, a little sparse forest - and even a real sandy beach on Langehoekspolle! Sure, Friesland is not Fiji. After all, we were just talking about glaciers. But you can swim. And when you close your eyes under the parasol afterwards, you forget everything around you anyway ...

Woudsend: typical for Friesland

Overnight, we move from the South Sea back to the North Sea: the sun has gone and the sky is cloudy. Wind and rain are forecast for the afternoon. The day's plan is adjusted accordingly, the stage is shortened: to just under eight kilometres to Woudsend, we skip the planned stopover in Heeg. We cross the Hegemer Mar (Heegermeer), which adjoins the Fluezen, round the artificial island of van Heeg and enter the Wâldseinder Rakken.

It winds a little through the fields and pastures until one of the typical new housing estates on the water begins on the starboard side: garage at the front and jetty at the back. Not everyone has a cruising yacht in their garden! The chic neighbourhood is replaced by a campsite, also with moorings, of course. And then there is the De Rakken marina, with guest berths right on the shore. In what is now a decent north-westerly wind, we have to manoeuvre carefully when mooring, but the friendly harbour master is already on hand.

We pay 25 euros with electricity and make our way to the village, clouds storming overhead. Typical for Friesland: the history of this small town off the coast is also characterised by water. In the 18th century, dozens of sea-going cargo ships set sail from here. A massive testimony to this time stands right on the banks of the Ie, which runs through Woudsend: It is the De Jager sawmill.

A windmill for shipbuilding

The splendid gallery harbour was built in 1719 and is still in working order thanks to extensive restoration and the diligent work of volunteer hands - including a wind-powered sawmill. Fresh shavings, impeccable rigging and the smell of oil are the proof. Now a national monument, the veteran used to supply the raw materials for Friesland's economy: planks, planks and boards for shipbuilding and hydraulic engineering.

The first drops fall in front of the mill and soon it's pouring. René sprints through the rain over to Omke Jan and waves me over. It's still a bit early for dinner, but why not? The historic inn serves local produce, such as cheese soup with Âlde Fryske Tsiis and steak from Frysk Black Angus. Plus a beer. It's great. We wouldn't have ended up here without the water from above. Sometimes you just have to be unlucky!

South towards Lemmer

While the depression continues to rage, we continue our journey the next day, heading south towards Lemmer. In our Frisian mink on the flybridge, coffee mug in hand. After entering the Ie, the first of many bascule bridges awaits us. Their operation is fantastic in Friesland; the staff keep an eye on everything and open them immediately, waiting times are rare - for example at the few railway bridges where you have to register anyway.

The sawmill with its large, lashed wings passes by, then the slate-grey surface of the Sleattemer Mar (Slotermeer) opens up in front of us - with a decent wave from abeam. The spray coming over us has it in for us. Cursing and laughing, we flee down below, where it is warm and dry. Sailing inland!

Back on the Ie, we cycle round Sleat (Sloten), the smallest town in the Netherlands - a privilege from ancient times, with barely a thousand people living here. At the Nieuwe Langebrug, we have to pay three euros - the only time on our journey. The long customary klompgeldthe bridge toll, has been abolished almost everywhere in the province. For the few exceptions, it makes sense to always have some small change to hand. After another hour and a half on the Ie and Lange Sleat, we finally reach Lemmer. On the banks of the Sylroede to the west of the Flevobrug, we find a nice passer-by site. We pay 16.50 euros here at the machine, and there is a rechargeable prepaid card for the electricity.

The weather merry-go-round continues: in the afternoon, the sky tears along the completed "Church at the Harbour", on to Lemster Sluis, which opens the way to the IJsselmeer, and then from the seaport along the beach and dyke to Woudagemaal, the only steam pumping station in the world still in operation. Since 1920, its four 500 hp tandem steam engines and eight centrifugal pumps have helped to keep Friesland, which lies half a metre below sea level, dry. Modern helpers have been added, so that today the system only provides support during storm surges. It has been a Unesco World Heritage Site since 1998. Unfortunately, the visitor centre is closed, but even looking through the large glass windows at the gleaming flywheels and boilers is a little journey through time.

All roads lead to Sneek

Time to continue our journey! From the coast, we now want to head back inland. All roads lead to Sneek, that's right, and ours today leads via the Prinses Margrietkanaal, which doesn't just mean canal travel: here, too, two large Fryske marren first the Grutte Brekken (Grote Brekken), then the Kûfurd (Koevordermeer). In the canal section in between, the 118 metre high Spannenburg transmission tower provides one of the rare situations where you have to put your head down in the Frisian landscape.

The Prinses Margrietkanaal is not only a busy major shipping route, on which we encounter a pushed convoy and two large motor tankers in quick succession, but also part of the Staande Mastroute, on which, thanks to viaducts and movable bridges, sailors can also pass through the entire Netherlands from the Westerschelde to the Ems on the inland waterway.

Via the Wite Brekken and the Wâldfeart, our Horizon finally arrives in Sneek (in Frisian: Snits) and via the Prinsengracht into the Kolk, the harbour basin in the heart of the city, right next to the historic Waterpoort. The elegant double-towered building from the late 15th century symbolises Friesland's connection to water and its great history like no other, which we now want to delve deeper into in the Fries Scheepvaart Museum.

In the Friesland Maritime Museum

From our berth at the Geeuwkade (we pay 17 euros for the berth via the online portal), we stroll along the Wonderbrug and through the Waterpoort. In between, it's easy to see how the "Fryslân" brand is being monetised today. Or rather the red pompeblêd, which can be found on the provincial flag and actually represents a pond lily pad, but is mistaken by most tourists for a heart - which is anything but detrimental to sales, whether on beer mugs or flip-flops.

The rain starts to fall again, but it doesn't disturb the museum. Models, exhibits and pictures tell of the peaceful eel trade with England in the 17th century, for example, but also of the battles at the same time - and their heroes such as Tjerk Hiddes de Vries: "The Frisian" played a decisive role in the legendary Four Days' Battle of 1666 in the Netherlands - one of the longest sea battles ever and one of the Royal Navy's heaviest defeats. Fishing and cargo shipping are also covered - and of course pleasure boating. After all, Friesland is Friesland.

Warkum: back on the IJsselmeer

Our tour is now nearing its end, with only one place ahead of us: the harbour town of Warkum (Workum), like Sneek one of the old Elf Steden with historical town rights. To get there, we follow the Wimerts, a canal almost nine kilometres long, to Boalsert (Bolsward) and then the Warkum Trekfeart to the south. Later, when we are moored at the Warkum jetty in the sunshine with one last beer on the flybridge, the water comes alive once again: A stand-up paddler passes by, shortly afterwards a second, then a third. Dozens follow, the men and women on the boards in various stages of exhaustion. It is the field of participants in the SUP 11-City-Tour, 220 kilometres in five days. The summer version of the Elfstedentocht in winter, with skates on ice - when it's freezing. Instead, an event on the water now attracts athletes from all over the world. From Australia, Peru and Canada - all roads lead to Friesland!

Friesland: the conclusion

• Variety is guaranteed on the journey, as many routes alternate between canal sections and lakes. And then there are the many pretty towns.
• The extensive network of waterways provides countless options for route selection and also allows spontaneous changes of plan such as detours.
• Friesland is also perfect for beginners thanks to its comprehensive infrastructure and the high level of acceptance of boating.

Information about the cruise

Charter

We travelled with a boat from the Horizon series from Le Boat in the version with two double cabins. In addition to the charter base in Hindeloopen for cruises in the province of Friesland, the company, which is represented in a total of eight European countries and Canada, also has another base in the Netherlands: Vinkeveen between Amsterdam and Utrecht. Further information: Le BoatTheodor-Heuss-Str. 53-63, Eing. B, 61118 Bad Vilbel, Tel. 06101/5579175.

The boat

Horizon 1 (GRP displacement) - length: 11.50 m - width: 4.25 m - berths: 4 (2 double cabins) - WC/shower: 1/1 - special equipment: bow and stern thruster, second steering position (inside), gas grill, oven, air conditioning, flybridge. Price examples depending on the season: from € 2449 (start: 7 April 2025), from € 4469 (start: 12 July 2025), from € 3029 (start: 20 September 2025). Le Boat also offers other boat types of different sizes and price ranges at the location. No boating licence is required for the charter.

Cruising guide

Cruising guide "Friesland" by Manfred Fenzl. Edition of 2023. 232 pages, 173 illustrations, 100 plans, hardback, size: 18.1 x 24.8 cm. ISBN: 978-3-667-12214-8 Price: 49,90 Euro. delius-klasing.de

Navigation app

Navigation app Navigation app "Waterkaarten" for iOS, Android and Windows with the ANWB waterway charts with all nautical information (in addition to the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France and Great Britain are also covered). With planning tool and AIS function. Free trial week. Can be used on up to three end devices (such as laptop, tablet, smartphone) per user account. Price depending on the term: 13.99 euros/month, 39.99 euros/3 months (season), 49.99 euros/year. waterkaarten.app