The Waterfront

Many cozy towns and villages in the area where there is ALWAYS something organized. You won't get bored in Friesland.

Many water activities to do in the area

The Twirre in the Alde Feanen

Kitesurfing at the many beaches around the area

One of the many ferry cycling routes

Ir. D.F. Wouda Pumping Station transforms into steam cathedral
The Ir. D.F. Wouda Pumping Station in Lemmer is the most colossal steam pumping station in the world that is still functioning. Once the pumping station has warmed up – it takes six hours for it to run at full speed – the steam pumping station moves about six million cubic metres of water per day. As much as the content of half the Sneekermeer. Four thousand cubic metres per minute flows through the bay of Lemmer into the IJsselmeer, where this amount is hardly noticeable.

Often, the steam pumping station does not turn into a steam cathedral. This only happens twice for three days in a row during training days. Then Wetterskip Fryslân will bring the Ir. D.F. Wouda Pumping Station under steam for the training of employees. Machinists and stokers learn what to do in case of an emergency.

The steam pumping station opened in 1920 to pump out excess water in Friesland. In 1966, the Wouda Pumping Station was reinforced by the electric Hoogland pumping station in Stavoren. To this day, the Wouda Pumping Station plays an important role in water management. At extremely high tide, it still ensures dry feet in Friesland. Then the steam engines are switched on, but that is only the case when the sluices at Lauwersoog cannot handle the basin water. Usually it is only the two training days a year that the four steam engines in the huge machine hall are running at full capacity. And that's a fantastic sight.

D.F. Wouda designed the pumping station in 1917 and 1918 and on 7 October 1920 the Wouda pumping station was opened by Queen Wilhelmina. The chimney next to the pumping station is sixty meters high. When the high tower was completed, it stood for nine days, after which the entire pipe collapsed. That was the result of a lightning strike. No conductor had yet been placed on it, because the cement had not yet dried. A second build-up went a lot better. In 1998, the pumping station was placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Wouda Pumping Station has a special visitor centre where young and old can be informed and enthused about the operation of the steam pumping station. In addition to an interactive exhibition space, there is a 3D film and a panorama room and the children can participate in a treasure hunt and be trained as auxiliary engineers.

The Wouda Pumping Station can be found at Gemaalweg 1 in Lemmer.

Take a trip with the eel barge
On board the eel barge Korneliske Ykes II, you'll feel like you've stepped back in time. Since 2013, the beautiful reconstruction has had a permanent berth in the centre of Heeg on the Syl. The eel barge sails a lot. In 2019, the eel barge even sailed to London for the first time. For the first time in 80 years, there was a Frisian eel barge in England. You can book a trip with the Korneliske Ykes II via the visitor center in Heeg or book a ticket online. In the summer months, the eel barge sails out every Thursday evening, bringing Friesland's rich eel history to life every time.

The Chameleon Village is an amusement park entirely dedicated to the book series The Chameleon by Hotze de Roos, and is located in the Frisian town of Terhorne. The Chameleon Village originated on the spot where De Roos received a silver pen as a gift from a primary school in 1980. Wikipedia
Address: Koailàn 2, 8493 LA Terherne

There is always a buzz at AquaZoo Leeuwarden. You can attend the daily educational presentations of tigers, ring-tailed lemurs, penguins, and polar bears, among others. See special animals in the indoor and outdoor enclosures. In the covered indoor enclosure you will find, among other things, a Wadden area and various aquariums, teraria and paludariums. Experience a unique day at the AquaZoo.

Open
Every day
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Opening hours
US€19.50
Tickets from 2 years and older
Free admission
Children from 0 to 2 years old

The Afsluitdijk Wadden Center is the place where you can experience the story of, among other things, Dutch Delta Design, Unesco World Heritage Wadden Sea, the Fish Migration River and the renewed, future-proof Afsluitdijk and the IJsselmeer.

From the smallest bee to the enormous skeleton of a sperm whale: in the Natuurmuseum Fryslân you can discover all about nature. Constantly changing exhibitions and an extensive program with various activities ensure that there is always something new to experience.

THE OLDEST WORKING PLANETARIUM IN THE WORLD
The Planetarium Room and the impressive gears form the oldest planetarium in the world that is still in operation. But there's more to see! The former wool combing mill of Eisinga, astronomical instruments, a cinema, changing exhibitions and attention to modern astronomy.