Northeast Friesland

Our bike tour leads you over rustic bike paths with charming high bridges for cyclists. The start is in Leeuwarden. Leeuwarden originated from three mounds and was originally located on the Middelzee (photo). Leeuwarden traded with many other cities at the end of the 13th century and formed the economic center of Friesland. Earlier this week we showed provincial city life, stately buildings, canals and bridges with a city walk.
We start the route on the schoolyard and cycle towards the Groningerstraat. We turn left towards the Dokkumer Ee. Then we cycle through the Leeuwarder forest towards Jelsum over the Brédyk. This Brédyk used to be the dike that had to turn the water of the Middelzee. It forms the border between old and new land. The difference between the two is clearly visible: the old land is erratically parceled out, with mounds and farms, and the new land, formerly the Middelzee, is characterized by straight allotment and buildings are virtually absent.

The first viewing point is Dekema State (photo). Like many other Frisian states, Dekema state also grew from a simple rectangular defensible stone house, a"stins\\\". State is a Frisian name for a noble residence. The name Dekema comes from the 16th century when a family with this name lived in the state. Although other families have subsequently inhabited the State, the name Dekema State has remained. The last family to inhabit Dekema State is the van Wageningen family, from 1791 to 1996.
Then we cycle through Jelsum and Cornjum. Jelsum is a green terp village with stately farms and a beautiful village center. The church building dates from 1178. A kilometer away is the village of Cornjum with about 450 inhabitants. The church, built in 1878 on the foundations of the previous church, can accommodate about 250 people. Special is the picturesque Martena State (photo) with one of the richest stinzen gardens around the state. The Martena family inhabited the state until 1899. A year later, this neo-Renaissance style house was rebuilt. 

Then we cycle through Britsum towards Stiens. Britsum is an old terp village along the east side of the former Middelzee. The ancient church of Britsum stands on the high mound. From the cemetery one has a view of the surroundings. The church was built about 700 years ago.

The villages of Jelsum, Cornjum and Britsum are examples of terpen (living hills). Friesland used to have 1000 mounds, but a large part of them have disappeared. At the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth century they were excavated because farmers could make good use of the fertile soil.

We cycle towards Stiens. Stiens developed into the most important terp village of the large series of mounds north of Leeuwarden. Stiens has about 7640 inhabitants Socialist foreman Pieter Jelles Troelstra grew up in Stiens, where his father was the collector of taxes. Troelstra was also a well-known Frisian writer and poet.

We stop at windmill De Hoop in Stiens. Stiens has three windmills. The corn mill is located in the village itself. De Hoop, originally built in 1853 and rebuilt twice, in 1978 and in 1992 after a fire. On the southwest edge of the village is De Kleine Molen, also called Binnema Molen, a polder mill that is considered the smallest octagonal windmill in the Netherlands. To the east of the village is the Steenhuistermolen, also a polder mill.

Next point is the St. Vitus Church. It was built at the end of the 11th or the beginning of the 12th century. It was a more or less radial terp village and the path around the cemetery is still recognizable despite the increase in scale of Smelbrêge and the Piter Jellessingel. 

We cycle out of the village of Stiens and cycle across the Bredyk. We cycle, as it were, into the new country, which is characterized by a more open landscape and rectangular allotment. We drive via the Slachtedyk to Oude Bildtzijl. The part east of Oude Bildtzijl is called the Bildt, because it concerned'bild\\\' or silted land. At the beginning of the 16th century, this area was embanked. Oudebildtzijl is a village of about a thousand inhabitants and one of the jewels in the characteristic Bildtse landscape, which is characterized by the beautiful lines of the arable lands and the characteristic and often monumental farms. The village is located at the mouth of the former Middelzee and was founded five centuries ago as a settlement around the'zijl\\\' (drainage sluice) from which it derives its name. From the center of Oude Bildtzijl (photo) you can cycle west on the Oude Bildtdijk, which was built between 1505 and 1508, which is 14.5 kilometers long and is therefore the longest street in the Netherlands. The highest house number 1226!

We cycle east to Hallum and drive towards the church. We take a tour around the church. Hallum is a radial terp village that originated on a salt marsh ridge several centuries before the beginning of the Christian era. We leave Hallum and cycle via Ferwert, which is characterized by a fifteenth century church tower, towards Hogebeintum. At 8.80 meters above NAP, Hogebeintum is the highest terp in the Netherlands, with a picturesque church from the 12th century on top. The mounds were excavated in the 19th century and this is clearly visible at Hogebeintum. Just outside the village is the Harsta State. This is a little outside the"stins\\\" (old country house) has a magnificent ash tree in the garden.

We leave Hogebeintum and go via Ginnum over the Flietterpstersdyk to Reitsum, Lichtaard. The three mounds were called the Vlieterpen (escape mounds). Although each mound had the function of traffic islands, it is not entirely clear where this name comes from. 

Before we reach the northernmost city of the Netherlands (Dokkum) we cycle through Raard. Raard is a terp village that originated several centuries before the beginning of the era. The terp on which the old village stands has been partly excavated and this can be clearly seen on the north side

We cycle on to one of the Eleven Cities. Dokkum is located on the border between the Kleistreek and the Friese Wouden, in the northeast of the province of Friesland. It is the northernmost city in the Netherlands. Dokkum has about 13,000 inhabitants and is one of the Frisian eleven cities. Dokkum has had city rights since 1298 and is the second oldest city in Friesland. Dokkum has a beautiful conservation townscape; the old fortress structure has remained intact. We make a stopover here. A walk over the old city walls and through the ancient street with monumental buildings is definitely worth it.

We cycle further southwest, along the Dokkumer Ee. This Dokkumer Ee was created around 1505 and used to be an important shipping connection for the transport of raw materials and materials in the north of Friesland, but now mainly has a function for pleasure craft as a connection between Leeuwarden and the Wadden Sea.

The next place where we stop in Birdaard. This place has about 1200 inhabitants. It has a protected village view. Wood saw mill De Zwaluw is iconic (photo).

Tergracht is located on the northwest bank of the Dokkumer Ee. The name comes from the connection (\\\"gracht\\\") that was dug in the 13th century between 2 slenkens, resp. of the Middelzee and the Lauwerszee. This created the current Dokkumer Ee. In Tergracht we also come across a good example of a head-neck-trunk farm (photo). This farm type is common in Friesland. The farm has been given this name because its shape is reminiscent of a lying cow. The house part is the head, the middle part is the neck and the shed is the body.

We continue cycling and pass Bartlehiem. Without the Elfstedentocht, hardly any of the Netherlands would have heard of Bartlehiem. Now it is a'pilgrimage\\\' for skating enthusiasts, who want to see the most famous bridge (photo) in Friesland with their own eyes.
We continue cycling towards Wyns, where we cross the Dokkumer Ee with a pound. Via the Wynser Binnenpad we cycle towards Lekkum and Snakkerburen. Snakkerburen is a village north of the city of Leeuwarden and south of Lekkum, on the Dokkumer Ee and has about 215 inhabitants. Together with the villages of Miedum and Lekkum, Snakkerburen has formed one community for centuries. The three villages are also called De Trije Doarpen. There are many collaborations between the villages.

Once we leave Snakkerburen we cycle back to school.