From Leeuwarden via De Alde Feanen

A little outside of Leeuwarden, you exchange the urban cosiness for the fun of cycling along a route that leads past places that are not often included in one route. You will pass a part of the Elfstedenroute on skates, pass the beautiful Tegelbruggetje which is the last bridge before the finish of the Elfstedentocht, after which the route changes again to the nature and recreation area De Kleine Wielen. In combination with crossing waters with various ferries and crossing the Alde Feanen National Park halfway along the route, this cycle route has all the ingredients Friesland is known for. You then return to Leeuwarden via the wetland area and small villages.

National Park De Alde Feanen
From Leeuwarden you cycle along the river Ee to the town of Wijns where you use the ferry to cross the Ee. From the village the route goes towards Gytsjerk. On the way you will come across the Tegeltjesbrug. Stopping here is a must. From Gytsjerk you cycle along the beautiful park (Bos van Ypey). Then you cycle through the nature and recreation area De Kleine Wielen. Here you can see that nature and recreation go hand in hand. Eventually via cute villages such as Kleine Geest and Sûwald you will arrive at the next ferry. The ferry will transfer you to the cycle path which will lead to the Alde Feanen National Park, a low moor area of 2280 hectares. The area consists of wet landscapes that form the ideal habitat for all kinds of animals and plants. You will find more than a hundred species of breeding birds in this area. You then cycle via various ferries and bridges to the water sports village of Grou.

Bustling Leeuwarden
Not only the nature around Leeuwarden is worth a visit. The center of the city can also be there. Stroll along the canals and admire the hundreds of monumental buildings that can be found here, visit one of the interesting museums with their changing exhibitions or enjoy an afternoon of shopping. In short, there is plenty to do in Leeuwarden in the city that is European Capital of Culture in 2018.

Note: when one of the ferries is temporarily out of service, there is always an alternative route via a fixed connection that does not immediately increase the kilometers.

NB; alternative route is; starting point; 26 - 25 - 27 - 30 - 29 -28 etc.