South Loop of the De 8 van Grou Cycle and Ferry Route

This ferry route is one of the alternative versions of the popular De 8 van Grou Cycle and Ferry Route, which forms a figure 8. It is referred to as the South Loop because it includes crossings on the Fietsa Versa and Nye Skou ferries south of Grou.

The route starts in the village of Grou, a popular place for water sports in beautiful De Alde Feanen National Park in the centre of Friesland.

The next village on the route is Jirnsum. From here, you cycle to the first ferry, Fietsa Versa. The scenic crossing takes about 10 minutes and transports you to Terherne. This village, which is actually an island on Sneekermeer lake, served as the setting for the popular Dutch children’s book series, De Kameleon.

As you continue on your way, you pass two lovely terraces where you can sit and enjoy some refreshments. Next, you cycle through the villages of Terkaple and Akmarijp. In Akmarijp, you pass a beautiful bell tower. There are many of these small wooden bell towers in Friesland. You also pass the Ooievaarsdorp De Graverij stork sanctuary near the village, where Vogelbescherming Nederland, the national bird protection organisation in the Netherlands, has created a safe place for storks to nest.

From here, you cycle north again to the second ferry on the route, Nye Skou, where you can get off your bike and relax on the terrace in the tea garden. If you want some inspiration, this video shows how picturesque it is!

The last stretch of the route takes you through the village of Akkrum and back to Grou.

Opposite direction?
You can of course also cycle the route in the opposite direction. And since the junctions along the route are on the cycle network, you can start in any of the villages along the way.

De 8 van Grou cycle and ferry routes
You can find more information about the other De 8 van Grou cycle and ferry routes at www.de8vangrou.nl. 

Please note! The ferries sail from April to October. Make sure you have the right money for the fare. Check the ferry sailing times on the Ferries page.