The Waddenzee route leads from Callantsoog above Harlingen to Nieuweschans.
background
Two different types of landscape are characteristic of this long-distance cycle route: the Wadden Sea (ndl .: Waddenzee) and the Frisian-Groningen coast.
The Wadden Sea of the North Sea covers an area of around 9,000 km² from Den Helder to the Danish west coast near Esbjerg. The core of the area consists of sandbanks and dune islands, which are cut by ramified gullies and creeks and which fall dry twice a day. In addition, around 50 islands are included in the Wadden Sea. Around 30 percent of the area, 240,000 ha, is Dutch. The Wadden Sea is also characterized by the great abundance of birds. The birds that rest here have their breeding areas from West Africa to Siberia and Eastern Canada, which makes the Wadden Sea a natural area of international importance. Since 2009 the Dutch and German parts have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The coast of Fryslân and Groningen emerged from salt marshes that were criss-crossed by streams and estuaries that penetrated deep into the country at high tide. In the case of overflows, they were often knocked away and later dropped further inland. The coarse material of sand and shells was the first to sink. This resulted in elongated stretches of geography running from east to west, the settlements on the streams developed into gravel. Further inland, as soon as the water had come to rest, the finer material settled, which resulted in a tough, poorly permeable layer of clay. This clay soil is only used as grazing land.
preparation
The route is signposted in both directions. It should be noted, however, that the wind (and bad weather) in the Netherlands mostly comes from the west, especially for the terribly long 30 km of the final dike when there is a headwind.
getting there
By train
- Callantsoog is near Alkmaar, which in turn via a branch line from Amsterdam can be reached from.
- Nieuweschans is on a branch line from Empty(East Frisia) after Groningen. Leer is on the main route from Koblenz to Emden.
By bicycle
Callantsoog can also be easily reached via the LF1 long-distance cycle path (part of the North Sea Cycle Route).
Route description with sights
Callantsoog - Closing Dike
Callantsoog - 2 km - De Stolpen - 3.6 km - Oudesluis - 7.1 km - Anna Paulowna - 11.6 km - De Haukes - 1.8 km - Westerklief - 3.5 km - Hippolytushoef - 1.5 km - Stroe - 4.0 km - Den Oever
Overall length: 37.0 km
Closing dike - Het Bildt
The Oever - Closing dike 30 km - Zurich - 7.2 km - Harlingen - 15.1 km - Tzummarum - 1.9 km - Firdgum - 4.5 km - St. Jacobiparochie - 6.8 km - Het Bildt
Overall length: 57.8 km
Het Bildt - Lauwersmeer
Zwarte Ham - 6.4 km - Nieuwe Bildtzijl - 14.5 km - Westernijtsjerk - 5.2 km - Ferwerd - 2 km - Hegebeintum - 2.7 km - Blija - 5.2 km - Holwerd - 10.7 km - Wierum - 3.8 kn - Moddergat - 1.4 km - Paesens - 6.4 km - Lauwersoog
Overall length: 49.0 km
Lauwersmeer - Usquert
Lauwersmeer - 7.2 km - Lauwersoog - 12.3 km - Vierhuizen - 9.7 km - Hornhuizen - 0.7 km - Kleine Huisjes - 4.0 km - Broek - 2.4 km - Pieterburen - 6.3 km - Den Andel - 2.2 km - Warffum 2.4 km - North Polderzijl - 6.6 km - Usquert
Overall length: 52.8 km
Usquert - Delfzijl
Usquert - 0.8 km - Uithuizen - 3.6 km - Uithuizermeeden - 4.1 km - Hefswal - 0.6 km - Roodeschool - 3.9 km - Oosteinde - 4.3 km - Spijk - 2.7 km - Bierum - 10.6 km - Delfzijl
Overall length: 30.6 km
Delfzijl - Nieuweschans
Delfzijl - 3.0 km - Weiwerd - 8.0 - Termunten - 18.5 - Drieborg - 2.5 km - Nieuweschans - 2.9 km - German border.
Overall length: 34.6 km
security
trips
- Of Callantsoog via the long-distance cycle path LF1 (Noordzee Route) south to Sluis or north to Den Helder and on to Texel. The LF1 is 280 km long.
- In Alkmaar, not far from Callantsoog, begins the LF15 (Boerenland route) and leads via Hoorn, Enkhuizen, Urk / Lelystad, Kampen, Zwolle and Nijverdal to Enschede. The route is 200 km long.
- In The oever concludes the LF21 (Zuiderzee route) at. This leads via Enkhuizen and Hoorn to Amsterdam and is 145 km long. From Amsterdam the 115 km long LF23 Via Spakenburg and Harderwijk to Kampen and from there completes the 130 km long LF22 over Lemmer and the dike the round.
- Of Holwerd leads the 145 km long Rietland route (LF3) via Leeuwarden, Heerenveen and Ossenzijl to Kampen. From there, the LF3 is called Hanzeroute (135 km) via Zwolle, Deventer, Zutphen, Arnhem and Nijmegen to Millingen aan de Rijn and then further than Meuse route (220 km) via Venlo and Riermond to Maastricht.
- In Lauwersoog begins LF14 (Saksen route) and leads 230 km southwards via Groningen, Assen, Emmen and Oldenzaal to Enschede.
- Of Nieuweschans from you can also return 445 km via the LF9 (NAP route) cycle back to Breda via Groningen, Meppel, Kampen, Zeewolde, Amersfoort, Baarn, Utrecht and Gorinchem. You then follow the "coastline" that the Netherlands should actually have (at 0 m above sea level).
- Shortly behind / before Nieuweschans the begins at the German border North Sea Cycle Route (Lower Saxony) - Radfernweg 9 of the Lower Saxony network and German continuation of the North Sea Cycle Route.
literature
Nederlandse kustroute 1. 2007, ISBN 9789072930323 , € 17.50. The book provides a detailed description (in Dutch) of LF1 and LF10.
Web links
- Brief description of the Waddenzee route (in Dutch). Comments on the route are also made.
