Skip map elements

From beach to city: Makkum – Bolsward | Cycling route

(47.7 km)

A cycling loop that combines nature and culture. After a day at the beach, visit the Frisian city of Bolsward and explore the surrounding area!

Makkum
On the coast of Lake IJsselmeer lies the village of Makkum. It has a lively historic centre, a pleasant boulevard and a large beach. Enjoy the outdoors with a boat tour or relax on the beach, where you’ll often see kite surfers in action.

Bolsward
Cycling through small Frisian villages, you’ll arrive in Bolsward – one of the Eleven Cities of Friesland. Discover local culture at the Broerekerk (a roofless church ruin), the historic town hall, Museum De Tiid and the birthplace of Titus Brandsma.

Witmarsum
On the way you’ll pass through Witmarsum. Be sure to visit the windmill where grain is still milled every week.

Locations on this route

De Holle Poarte near Makkum

A popular fun and family beach. There are playgrounds, a volleyball net and the water is nice and shallow. This means the little ones can play in the water carefree. After an afternoon on the beach you can stroll along the shops on the boulevard, ri...

Makkum

Makkum is a seaside resort on the IJsselmeer coast in Southwest Friesland, just south of the Afsluitdijk.

Visit Makkum

Makkumerzuidwaard Nature Reserve

Along the shore of Lake IJsselmeer there are three nature reserves on the sandflats outside the dykes. When Lake IJsselmeer was still the Zuiderzee, these coastal sandflats were flooded by the tides.

Bolsward (Boalsert)

Bolsward, or Boalsert as we say in Friesland, is the city where history and architecture play a leading role. Let yourself be carried away by the rich history of this eleven cities city.

Visit Bolsward

Museum De Tiid

Museum De Tiid, the House of Stories, is located in the former town hall of Bolsward and presents the fascinating history of Southwest Friesland.

Broerekerk (church)

The Broerekerk was built in the 13th century as a monastery church of the Friars Minor. The monastery was abandoned and demolished in 1580. The three-aisled church without a tower is a ruin as a result of a fire that took place on 8 May 1980.

11Fountains Bolsward

Bats are intriguing, useful animals, crucial to the ecological system for their insect hunting. In Asian culture, the bat symbolises wealth, happiness and the blessings of old age.

Path along the Bolswardertrekvaart (Bolsward Canal).

A beautiful walking and cycling path along the tow canal of the Bolsward to Leeuwarden canal, near Burgwerd. The path is also referred to as a towpath.

Witmarsum

Witmarsum is a cozy village northwest of the Eleven Cities town of Bolsward.

Visit Witmarsum

Cornwerdermolen

This mill was built in 1907 by firm J.H. Westra from Franeker to drain the polder, 318 ha, the water board 'Cornwerd' in the same year by Messrs TH Rinia, R. Zwaagstra and T.P. Postma. A second mill on the canal near Wons milk was demolished in 1925....