The shores of the Middelzee

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Discover picturesque mound villages on this cycling tour through the countryside of the former Middelzee estuary. Leeuwarden is surrounded by mound villages that date back centuries. Some have since become part of the city.

The route takes you through the mound village of Goutum to the village of Swichum, where you can stop to admire the Romanesque church, which was also built on a mound.

The next village on the route is Wergea, a vibrant and picturesque mound village in the heart of Friesland. The Roorda State country estate to the west of the village is better known as 't Ald Slot. For a while in recent years the period rooms and collections of the estate were open to the public as Museum Ald Slot. It opened for the last time on 15 December 2018. A little further on you leave the mound landscape.

The winding lanes are replaced by the long straight roads that characterise this part of Friesland. Near Weiden, the road starts to curve again through countryside shaped by the water in the salt marshes that used to be here. After cycling through the hamlet of Nieuwland and along the banks of the Swette canal, you can relax on the terrace at the Weidumerhout hotel and restaurant. From here, the route takes you through the villages of Bears, Boksum and Blessum as you make your way back to Leeuwarden.