De Frije Wiken
Gorredijk
De Frije Wiken is a beautiful part of southeast Friesland. It is made up of 14 villages and towns that lie at the heart of southeast Friesland. There was extreme poverty here in the past but today the land is richly endowed with scenic beauty.
Take a look
De Frije Wiken is a beautiful part of southeast Friesland. It is made up of 14 villages and towns that lie at the heart of southeast Friesland. There was extreme poverty here in the past but today the land is richly endowed with scenic beauty.
In his novel Volk zonder uren [People without hours] written in 1949, Evert Zandstra described the harsh and poverty-stricken circumstances of the villagers who lived here in around 1868 as the demand for peat dwindled. So this part of Friesland is also known as ‘the land of the people without hours’.
This largely undiscovered area with its unique network of neighbourhoods sits concealed between the Turf Boating Route and better known tourist attractions.
The tranquil landscape is crisscrossed by waterways and district canals that were built to transport the turf. After the peat had been mined, bit by bit the land was converted to farmland and used to grow crops. But the farming was done on a small scale and developed gradually so the land was able to recover.
The 14 villages and towns that together form De Frije Wiken are Bontebok, Oudehorne, Nieuwehorne, Jubbega, Hoornsterzwaag, Katlijk, De Knipe, Oldeberkoop, Mildam, Gorredijk, Hemrik, Lippenhuizen, Langezwaag and Jonkerslân.
Gorredijk is the charming principal town in the area and has several beautiful listed buildings and protected monuments. Museum Opsterland, the local museum, is in the middle of the town in a building that was originally built as a primary school in 1887.
Here you will find De Frije Wiken
Gorredijk Plan your route-
It Bûtefjild Nature Reserve
It Bûtefjild Nature Reserve
Walk, cycle and sail in otter territory. It Bûtefjild is a varied landscape of peatland, meadows, reed beds and open water.
HurdegarypNature reserve, Peat landscapes, Pasture, Landscape with Waterways, Recreation area
Nature reserve
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Eener Schans/Zwartendijksterschans Star Fort
Eener Schans/Zwartendijksterschans Star Fort
The Zwartendijksterschans near the village of Een-West in Drenthe is one of the forts built during the Eighty Years’ War. As Stadtholder of Friesland, William Louis of Nassau-Dillenburg ordered the building of the fort to defend against the Spanish.
Een-WestMonument, Archaeological heritage, Sights
Monument
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Vuurtoren
Vuurtoren
Je ziet hem al van verre staan: de vuurtoren op het Vuurboetsduin
VlielandLighthouse, Sight, Mill or Pumping station, Sights, Attraction
Lighthouse
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Entree Blije
Entree Blije
Het terpdorp Blije, met de buurtschappen Farebuorren en Boate- buorren, ontstond enkele eeuwen voor onze jaartelling op een kwelderwal. De naam ‘Blitha’ komt voor in de levensbeschrij- ving van de abt Fredericus van Hallum.
BlijeSight, Sights
Sight
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Monument zeemijn
Monument zeemijn
Op 10 september 1945 zijn acht mensen omgekomen bij een ongeluk bij het opruimen van een zeemijn. Dit gebeurde buitendijks ter hoogte van de zomerdijk in de buurt van de Hoek van de Band. In 2015 is een monument onthuld.
LioessensSight, Sights
Sight
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British War Cemetery Harlingen
British War Cemetery Harlingen
In response to the air raids on London and other places, the British government ordered the bombing of German cities and industrial areas. On their bombing route to Germany, the Allies used the IJsselmeer as a flight path.
HarlingenSights
Sights
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Overtuin Lyndenstein
Overtuin Lyndenstein
De Overtuin van Lyndenstein ligt tegenover Revalidatie Friesland in Beetsterzwaag. Hier is van juni t/m september 2021 de tentoonstelling 'Van Lyndens Erfenis' te zien. Dit gratis toegankelijke park in Engelse landschapsstijl is zeker een bezoek waard.
BeetsterzwaagHeritage, Monument, Historic mansion, Sights, Park/Garden, Art and Culture
Heritage
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Tiger Bunker Complex
Tiger Bunker Complex
For decades, the Tiger Complex from World War II, with its hidden history, remained virtually invisible. The former canteen building has now been transformed into an exhibition and reception area.
West-TerschellingSight, Sights, Museum
Sight
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Arumer Groenedijk
Arumer Groenedijk
De Arumer Groenedijk is een dwarsdijk gelegen in de Marneslenk, waarmee een gedeelte van deze slenk werd ingepolderd.
KimswerdSight, Sights
Sight
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Herberg de Gekroonde Leeuw
Herberg de Gekroonde Leeuw
Herberg de Gekroonde Leeuw: A household name in Friesland, a surprise for the rest of the world! Wandering along the Frisian paths you will find, near Harlingen, a stately pub in the former tram station with 6 guestrooms.
ArumDiner, Sights, Bed and breakfast, Pool Hall
Diner
