The eastern part of Friesland

The eastern part of Friesland, the Friese Wouden, is a wooded parkland area, criss-crossed with small rivers. It forms a gradual and quite interesting transition between the Frisian lakes in the west and the woods and moors of Drenthe.

The Friese Wouden is a romantic region with many nostalgic villages and small and cosy hotels, restaurants and other recreation facilities. Time has not stood still there, but the atmosphere of bygone days remains. They’ve held onto what was good in the past, both in the interest of their own inhabitants as well as of the tourist.

Huge variation
Typical for the Friese Wouden is not the woodland, but in fact the huge variation in the landscape, the small scale, the warmth, the romance. The enormous variation is a pleasant surprise for the tourist.  In the north, the area begins with a open stretch of marine clay and ends in the south in the riverbeds of the Tsjonger (Tjonger) and the Lende (Linde). In between are woods, meadows, hedgerows and moors on sand ridges, and lakes and canals in the lower-lying areas, the remnants of peat extraction. Small farmsteads, horse farms, hotels, outdoor cafes on the waterfront and in the woods, artisanal products and other interesting sights form a lovely decor. It’s a fantastic area for cycling but also for boating in a small motorboat.