The charming town of Woudsend, with its bankside windmill and idyllic village atmosphere, offers direct access to the De Kûfurd, Heegermeer and Slotenmeer via two central canals lined with cafes and restaurants. A haven for nature-lovers, populated by various endemic fauna, with stunningly clear waters, Woudsend is an ideal starting point for a boating trip through the Frisian Lakes. Hire a Cabin Cruiser or a small motor yacht for a long tour of the eleven cities, or choose a sloop for a day under the sun on the serene Slotermeer.
Woudsend's delightful little centre is filled with yachts and cabin cruisers in the summer, and there are rental options available throughout the region that are suitable for most requirements. As a base, Woudsend offers multiple routes, whether sailing along the popular 11 cities route or to Friesland's incredibly variety of lakes.
Mooring options are omnipresent along Woudsend's canal banks, while out in the lakes, the *MarBoei* offer free wild anchorages that are well suited to contemplation and serenity with some of the region's most beautiful views.
Woudsend's pocket-sized centre, with its cobbled alleys and historical charm, is a perfect distraction from the canals for a day or more. Two picturesque windmills mark the town's skyline: Houtzaagmolen de Jager and Mole 't Lam, and a charming collection of terraces and restaurants (most offering local cuisine and fresh seafood) are spread along the convivial waterside, filled with boats in the summer months. Nearby lakes provide plenty of access to water sports, and nature lovers are well placed for exploring the breathtaking Nationaal Park de Alde Feanen.
To see more of Friesland, hire a cabin cruiser in Woudsend and sail to Sneek to visit the Fries Scheepvaart Museum to learn about the region's unique shipping heritage. Afterwards, trace the cobbles of the old town to one of Sneek's oldest buildings to visit the Weduwe Joustra Distillery (Widow Joustra Beerenburg) and taste the local *Jenever* distilled with the same ingredients since 1864. Close off your tour of Sneek with a walk along the 13th-century ruins of Broerekerk monastery before sailing onwards to Workum to see local arts in the Jopie Huisman Museum, and to the fortified old town of Sloten to walk the atmospheric old streets of the smallest of Friesland's 11 cities.
Travellers craving a hit of big city culture should travel the Prinses Margriet Canal to Leeuwarden, the capital of Friesland. Museums such as the Natuurmuseum Fryslan, and the Blokhuispoort museum provide plenty of distractions for families while De Oldehovem, an unfinished church tower, invites comparisons to Pisa with its slight lean that dominates the skyline of Oldehove.
Summer travellers should time their visits to Woudsend to coincide with the local farmer's markets that fill up the Waechswâl every Thursday in July and August, providing a perfect excuse to fill your boat rental with pic nic goodies for the coming journey. Those journeying to Friesland in autumn should visit Leeuwarden for the Media Art festival that lights up the canals, bridges and various historic buildings with vibrant light installations from emerging local art talents.
Woudsend's convivial village centre is an ideal base from which to explore the Frisian countryside, while Balk and Heeg, with their access to the boating lakes, offer a plethora of boat hire options for beginners and seasoned professionals alike.
Woudsend's idyllic cobbled streets belie its incredibly convenient location on the banks of De Kûfurd lake, just a short journey from both the Heegermeer and Slotenmeer via a series of canals that converge in the village's centre. From Woudsend it's possible to reach anywhere in Friesland by boat, sailing north to the Frisian capital, or west to scenic lakes like the IJsselmeer.
A picturesque village on the Heegermeer Lake, Heeg is a water sports centre offering a variety of marinas and watersports, including traditional flat bottom boat hires and a charming historic centre set around a small but attractive collection of 18th-century buildings.
Charming Balk, just southwest of Woudsend offers world-class watersports facilities on the Sleatermar via the Luts River, which runs, as a leafy tree-lined artery through the centre of the town.
Set in the Frisian countryside south of Woudsend, Idskenhuizen is an ideal boat rental option for those searching for a mix of land and water recreation. Boaters travelling with their bikes can join the cycling path which runs through Idskenhuizen along the Prinses Margriet Canal uninterupted to Sloten, Sint Nicolaasga and Langweer.
During the summer months, the Frisian lakes are decorated with hundreds of ballooning sails of all sizes, a testament to the enduring popularity of a good sailboat. But motor yachts, cabin cruisers and tenders are available too, catering to all skill levels and group sizes.
A large variety of yachts are available throughout Friesland and Woudsend, with traditional flat-bottomed sailing yachts with or without a crew, and smaller motor yachts, well-suited to honing your skills out on the lakes.
Arguably the best option for multi-day adventures, cabin cruisers come with all the modern conveniences needed to stay on the water for extended periods: including bathrooms, bedrooms, well-stocked kitchens and space for sunbathing. And most are available without a license, making them ideal for novice sailors.
Easy-to-handle motorboats are available to hire in Woudsend and don't require a license in most cases. Perfect for exploring both the lakes and the canals, and particularly well-suited to languid days spent under the sun out on the Heegermeer.
You'll need to present a licence if you hire a boat that measures more than 15 meters in length or can reach speeds of more than 20 kilometres an hour. For this, international visitors will need an International Certificate for Operations of Pleasure Craft or ICC, filled out with your national qualifications: advanced RYA Powerboat/ sailing certifications and a CEVNI for inland waterways for example.
But most boats, such as cabin cruisers, electric motorboats, or a 10-metre motor yacht can be hired without a license in Woudsend.
The Frisian countryside is stunning throughout the spring with colourful blooms making up for the bouts of rain, but the best time to travel is from June to August, when the temperature averages an agreeable 21 degrees Celsius, with long sunny days punctuated by warm breezes, perfect for exploring the Frisian lakes.
By late September many of the summer crowds have dispersed leaving the waterways all but empty, but hire options are available well into October when the landscape slowly transforms from the verdant greens of summer to the mood-laden ambers of autumn, and in towns like Leeuwarden, terraces are warmed and atmospherically lit, providing a cosy sanctuary on rainy days.
A simple open-top tender can be hired in Woudsend for as little as €145 a day, while a small cabin cruiser with just enough room for two can be hired for €115 a day if hired for three days or more. Modern sailing yachts with cabin space for four are approx. €165 a day, while more traditional sailing yachts are available for hire for as little as €100 and €230 per day (depending on the size of the vessel and onboard amenities).
