Eleven Villages Route - A cycling tour of Frisian villages
This beautiful 170-kilometre cycling route takes you to eleven of the 133 villages in southwest Friesland. All equally ‘smûk’ (the Frisian word for ‘welcoming’), quaint and recognisable from afar by their church towers. Some of the villages are tiny, others are like the smaller cities along the famous Elfstedentocht tour skating route. The village of Joure, for example, the birthplace of Douwe Egberts coffee and Pickwick tea, has a distinctly urban character. And the village of Terherne is unique in that it is essentially an island, completely surrounded by water.
The Eleven Villages Route takes you to the villages of Balk, Woudsend, Heeg, Oudega (in the municipality of Súdwest-Fryslân), Makkum, Koudum, Oudemirdum, Lemmer, Joure, Terherne and Langweer. Along the way, you get to enjoy spectacular views, scenic cycle paths and two ferry crossings. So, are you ready to visit eleven villages?
Sights on this route
Balk
Balk is a large village with many amenities in Southwest Friesland; it is the main town of Gaasterland and is situated along the Elfstedentocht route.
Woudsend (Wâldsein)
Woudsend is a village nestled between Lake Heegermeer and Lake Slotermeer.
Makkum
Makkum is a seaside resort on the IJsselmeer coast in Southwest Friesland, just south of the Afsluitdijk.
Koudum
Koudum is centrally located in Southwest Friesland. This makes it an ideal base for your next vacation.
Oudemirdum
Oudemirdum is a charming village located amidst the forests of Southwest Friesland in the Gaasterland region.
Terherne
Terherne is known as the Kameleon village and is an island in the Sneekermeer. On one side, you'll find the lake, and on the other side, the Terhernster ponds.
Veerpont Rufus (Broek)
Het pontje vaart op verschillende tijden gedurende het jaar. Van 1 april tot 30 april en van 16 september tot 31 oktober (inclusief herfstvakantie) is het pontje dagelijks beschikbaar van 10.00 tot...
Langweer
Langweer is a true watersports destination. From this centrally located village in the Frisian lake area, you can sail in all directions.
Directions
Start and end point
The directions start and end in Balk but you can start and end the route at any point. You follow the route by cycling from one junction of the cycle route network to the next in the order indicated by the numbers.
Ferries
Please note! Always check that the ferries are running before you depart.
If the Rufus passenger and bike ferry is not running, you can change the way. Go from junction 65 to 64 - 80 - 79 - 62. Here you can pick up the original route.
If the Woudfennen passenger and bike ferry in village of Boornzwaag is not running, you can extend the route by cycling from junction 84 to 82 - 83 - 57 - 55 - 56 - 58 - 92. Here you can pick up the original route.
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Cycling route 'Greidhoek' along three nature reserves.
Cycling route 'Greidhoek' along three nature reserves.
(36.0 km)Oosterlittens -
Fietsroute midden Friesland: Akkrum, Heerenveen, De Deelen
Fietsroute midden Friesland: Akkrum, Heerenveen, De Deelen
(40.0 km)Akkrum -
Museum fietsroute Lemmer-Sloten-Oudemirdum
Museum fietsroute Lemmer-Sloten-Oudemirdum
(34.5 km)Lemmer -
Rondje Sneekermeer met pontjes | Fietsroute
Rondje Sneekermeer met pontjes | Fietsroute
(34.2 km)Terherne
