What could we write about the best sailing routes through the Frisian Lake District with a traditional flat-bottomed boat? It’s not so much that we’re recommending the most beautiful routes, but we’d like to discuss the possibilities: what can be done when sailing with a traditional sailing vessel across the lakes and through Friesland.
In our opinion, there is no single most beautiful route through Friesland. With the knowledge and experience we have gained over the last 26 years, we can confidently say that the Frisian Lakes are so diverse that sailing through them is always a new adventure. Moreover, the landscape changes with the seasons, which means that you will need to sail many routes more than once to discover all of its beauty and sights.
Why you can’t skip the Frisian Lakes with a flat-bottomed boat
First of all, the province of Friesland, with its Frisian Lakes, is one of the best-equipped nautical areas to sail through with a sailing ship. It’s a province where the term “lowlands” will be seen from a completely different perspective.
The most famous Frisian lakes are the Heegermeer (Hegemer Mar), the Fluessen (Fluezen), Morra (De Morra), the Slotermeer (Sleattemer Mar), the Tjeukemeer (Tsjûkemar), the Koevordermeer (De Kûfurd), the Langweerderwielen (Langwarder Wielen), the Sneekermeer (Snitser Mar), the Lauwersmeer (Lauwersmar), the Pikmeer (Pikmar), and the Groot Gaastmeer (Grutte Gaastmar).
These Frisian lakes are also often navigable with larger traditional sailing ships (the “brown fleet“). However, it’s important to pay attention to the ship’s draft. It is crucial that the vessel is a flat-bottomed boat, specifically designed for these shallow waters.
Of course, the size of the ship and its draft still affect where we can sail outside the navigational channels and where we cannot.
Sail through the Frisian Lakes in combination with the Frisian Eleven Cities
Many lakes are connected to one of the Frisian Eleven Cities. These often centuries-old towns offer moorings, some of which are located right in the heart of the town. The moorings in Frisian cities or villages are often equipped with shower and toilet facilities and usually have electricity and water supply. In addition to these beautiful village and urban moorings, there are also many Marrekrite moorings along small, uninhabited islands or along canals and waterways. These are excellent spots for a peaceful overnight stay, often free of charge. These natural moorings do not have toilet or shower facilities or electricity connections, but they do offer a place for waste disposal.
In addition to these unparalleled infrastructure opportunities for moorings, we are, of course, also excited about the maneuverability of bridges and the opening times of locks. Some locks are still perfectly sized for the sailing cargo ships (Frisian standard size 32m) that once sailed through in large numbers.
Unique Sailing Routes through the Frisian Lakes
The interconnections between the Frisian lakes offer almost unparalleled opportunities to sail from one side of Friesland to the other. There are also connections to the provinces of Groningen, Flevoland, and Overijssel.
For example, we can cross a small part of Friesland: enter the city via the old lock at Lemmer, then sail through the Slotermeer and Heegermeer, eventually reaching the IJsselmeer. This route can be extended by sailing via IJlst to Bolsward and then heading back to the larger waters through Workum.
If you really want to cross Friesland, we can sail from the Wadden Sea via the Lauwersmeer, passing through Dokkum and across the capital city of Leeuwarden. Then we sail via Grou and the Sneekermeer to Stavoren, reaching the IJsselmeer. Along the way, we can make small detours through the Pikmeer and Langweerderwielen, or take an extra loop through the Slotermeer and still end up in Stavoren.
Sail with our experienced captains.
There are countless other possibilities and routes to consider, depending on the wind and your available time. But perhaps you’re already feeling lost? Our passionate and experienced captains know large parts of this area better than the back of their hand and would be more than happy to guide (or sail) you through it.
Let yourself be surprised by the beauty of the Frisian Lakes and book one of the traditional sailing ships affiliated with us. Renting a flat-bottomed boat with a captain is something you do with Rederij van Linschoten! You surely want to experience the best sailing routes with a traditional flat-bottomed boat through the Frisian Lakes, don’t you?