The Slachtedijk is a former sea wall that winds its way from the village of Oosterbierum on the Wadden Sea coast to the village of Raerd.
This ancient dike is 42 kilometres long. For centuries, it protected a large area of northwest Friesland from the seawater of the Middelzee estuary. On the inland side of the dike there were artificial dwelling mounds that provided protection against the high water levels. The Slachtedijk served as an official secondary or ‘sleeper’ dike until 1955. Today it is a prominent cultural heritage feature in the landscape and a beautiful route to discover on foot or by bike. The nutrient-poor verges encourage the growth of plants such as cow parsley, hawthorn, clover, dock and even meadow salsify, all of which attract insects and birds.
