Bolsward - Wadden Sea dike | Elfstedenpad Hiking Trail: Section 8
he Elfstedenpad trail leaves Bolsward through the De Marne industrial estate. Long ago, an inlet of the same name stretched this far inland from the Wadden Sea.
This section of the trail takes you from the Hanseatic city of Bolsward to the Wadden Sea dike north of the Afsluitdijk. Further on, the green meadows in this flat landscape give way to the grey clay of the mudflats.
The land you walk on as you pass the little villages of Skettens, Witmarsum and Arum was once beneath the sea. The local people started building dikes around the salt marshes in this area from 1100 onwards.
Towards the village of Kimswerd, the El…
he Elfstedenpad trail leaves Bolsward through the De Marne industrial estate. Long ago, an inlet of the same name stretched this far inland from the Wadden Sea.
This section of the trail takes you from the Hanseatic city of Bolsward to the Wadden Sea dike north of the Afsluitdijk. Further on, the green meadows in this flat landscape give way to the grey clay of the mudflats.
The land you walk on as you pass the little villages of Skettens, Witmarsum and Arum was once beneath the sea. The local people started building dikes around the salt marshes in this area from 1100 onwards.
Towards the village of Kimswerd, the Elfstedenpad trail follows part of the Pingjumer Gulden Halsband (Gold Collar of Pingjum), a unique ring dike built in the 11th century. You walk through the village of Kimswerd (the home of the Frisian rebel leader and pirate Grutte Pier) onto the mudflats where today the fertile seabed produces a plentiful supply of beets, grain and potatoes.
Sights on this route
Bolsward (Boalsert)
Bolsward, or Boalsert as we say in Friesland, is the city where history and architecture play a leading role. Let yourself be carried away by the rich history of this eleven cities city.
Filenspolder Nature Reserve
The Filenspolder nature reserve is just south of the village of Witmarsum. This is an area that attracts large numbers of meadow birds. And bird counts indicate that the populations are increasing.
Arumer Groenedijk
De Arumer Groenedijk is een dwarsdijk gelegen in de Marneslenk, waarmee een gedeelte van deze slenk werd ingepolderd.
Voormalige Marneslenk
De Marneslenk was, samen met bijvoorbeeld de Middelzee of de Zuiderzee, een van de zeearmen die het binnenland insneed. Tussen Zurich en Kimswerd liep de Marneslenk het land in, om vervolgens tot Bolsward reiken.
Standbeeld Grutte Pier
De grootste volksheld uit de Friese geschiedenis moet wel Pier Gerlofs Donia (1480-1520) zijn, oftewel Grutte Pier. Als gewone boer uit Kimswerd speelde een belangrijke rol in de strijd voor een onafhankelijk Friesland.
Standbeeld Grutte Pier
Standbeeld Grutte Pier
Standbeeld Grutte Pier
Greate Pierwei
8821 LV Kimswerd
End point
Westerzeedijk
8821 PK Kimswerd
Navigate to endpoint
Directions
Bolsward (Boalsert)
Bolsward, or Boalsert as we say in Friesland, is the city where history and architecture play a leading role. Let yourself be carried away by the rich history of this eleven cities city.
- Wandel Bolsward uit via 81 - 74 - 23 (Skettens)
- Door naar knooppunt 46 - 15 - 16 om in Witmarsum te komen.
- In Witmarsum rechtsaf naar 14 - 70 - 71 (Arum).
- Door naar 65 - 92 - 93 - 87 - 35 - 39 om uit te komen in Kimswerd. Daar nog even rechtdoor naar 75 - 31 om de Waddenzeedijk te bereiken.
- 81
- 74
- 23
- 46
- 15
- 16
- 14
- 70
- 71
- 65
- 92
- 93
- 87
- 35
- 39
- 75
- 31