The Tjeukemeer is the largest inland lake in Friesland. There are various stories about the origin and naming of the Tjeukemeer.
On the edge of the Tjeukemeer, near the Echten pumping station, stands the statue of Tsjûke and March. A text at that statue explains the origin of the Tjeukemeer.
There are two versions. In the first version, two farm women are walking back home from milking. After discovering a fire, the woman carrying the milk refused to extinguish it. The other woman scolded her with the name Tsjûke, a dog's name. The name took on a life of its own and would have been used for the lake, which formed in the hole left by the fire in the land. In the second version, the two sisters lost each other in the smoke of the fire. They kept calling each other: ''Tsjûke'' and ''March''. Their voices remained audible for a long time and formed the fused Tsjûkemar... This second story is also said to have led to the naming of two of the islands in the Tjeukemeer, the Tsjûkepolle and the Marchjepolle.
In the Tjeukemeer, there is a fast boating area; within the yellow buoys, you are allowed to boat quickly. Outside a so-called fast boating area, you should adjust your speed to other water sports enthusiasts.
Read more about the Tjeukemeer here.
