Bracing walk on the IJsselmeer coast

Enjoy a bracing walk along the shore of the former Zuiderzee inlet. Much of it will take you along this old sea dike and sections of the Zuiderzeepad hiking trail. You can start the walk in Workum or Stavoren and take in beautiful views of Lake IJsselmeer on one side and Frisian countryside on the other. There are several gates you have to pass through along the way. You will also encounter sheep. You can make your way back along the same route or head for the train station in Stavoren and travel back to Workum on an Arriva train.

Stavoren, Molkwerum, Hindeloopen and Workum are all worth exploring. In Stavoren you can eat fish next to the Fish Fountain and stroll through the old harbour. The picturesque village of Molkwerum is very photogenic with its maze of narrow streets, canals and little bridges. This is also the home of Molkwarder Koeke cake, a regional specialty. Next to the cake factory, there is a nostalgically decorated bakery that brings the past to life. For many years Hindeloopen was a closed community, so today the city is like an open-air museum. If you have time, be sure to visit Hindeloopen Museum where you can see the decorative work of Hindeloopen artists. The walk starts or ends in Workum, the city that the master artist Jopie Huisman described as heaven. Be sure to look up and take in the many different facades in the city centre.

Along the way, you pass the Bocht van Molkwar nature reserve, where the birds are moving elements in a real-life landscape painting. The reserve is managed by It Fryske Gea, the organisation that protects Friesland’s natural and cultural heritage. This is a lovely place to stop for a rest. Be sure to check out the bird-watching hide. As many as 15,000 ruffs spend the night on the reserve in the early spring. Or maybe you will spot a Eurasian teal, a common goldeneye, a spotted redshank or a great black-backed gull. Above all, be sure to enjoy the beautiful views of Lake IJsselmeer.