Tour IJlst - Sneek | SUP and Canoe Route

(11.3 km)

Beautiful SUP tour through the historic centers of both Ijlst and Sneek. Highlights along the way include the overtuinen (gardens behind houses) in IJlst and the Waterpoort (Water Gate) in Sneek.

Starting from the Houtstad IJlst museum, you paddle through the Eegracht, along the characteristic overtuinen of IJlst. From IJlst, you navigate over the Riper Feart and Soal Sleat across the Zwarte Brekken to Sneek. Here, you sail over the Wâldfeart and the city canal towards the Waterpoort. From the water, you have a magnificent view of this iconic monument. Continuing from the Waterpoort, you paddle back towards IJlst over the Geau.

Boat rental in Friesland
Don't have your own SUP or canoe? No problem! In Friesland, you can rent boats at various locations.

Duration of the route
This route is…

Beautiful SUP tour through the historic centers of both Ijlst and Sneek. Highlights along the way include the overtuinen (gardens behind houses) in IJlst and the Waterpoort (Water Gate) in Sneek.

Boat rental in Friesland
Don't have your own SUP or canoe? No problem! In Friesland, you can rent boats at various locations.

Duration of the route
This route is a total of 11.5 kilometers. As a beginner, you paddle at about 3 kilometers per hour, so a one-way trip takes almost 4 hours.

Bridges in Friesland
On this route, you'll encounter several bridges. With a SUP or canoe, you can navigate almost anywhere. If there's an issue with a bridge or culvert, you can step off and klún (walk on the side). If you want to take the route with a boat, such as a sloop, check the information about bridges in the Watersport App of the Provinsje Fryslân!

Clean sailing!
Of course, you never throw waste into nature. If you come across litter on the water, take it with you on your board or in the canoe. Nature will thank you!

Waterway information
The first part of the route follows a waterway in the DM category, suitable for boats with a depth of 1.3 meters and a height of 2.3 meters. Then, it becomes a CZM category waterway, where boats with a depth of 1.7 meters can navigate, and larger boats may be encountered. This route is also suitable for a (electric) sloop.

Sights on this route

Museum en Werkplaats Houtstad IJlst

Experience the history of IJlst during an active visit to: Museum and workshop Houtstad IJlst. IJlst has been connected with wood for many centuries.

IJlst (Drylts)

IJlst (or Drylts in Frisian) is not only one of the famous 11 cities, but also a 'wood city'. For many years, tree trunks were processed here by the legendary wood trading companies Oppedijk and S.O. de Vries.

Visit IJlst

Waterside Gardens

Unique and characteristic to IJlst are the waterside gardens on each side of the Ee.

St Maurice Church in IJlst

The St Maurice church we see in IJlst today was designed by the architect J. Ankringa and built in 1830. The beautifully carved wooden pulpit made in 1672 was originally installed in the previous church on this site, as was the baptismal screen.

Sneek (Snits)

Sneek, or Snits as we say in Friesland, is the water sports city of the Netherlands. But Sneek is more than water sports and the Sneekweek. The city is bustling with events, culture, unique hotspots, and nice shops.

Visit Sneek

Zuiderkerk

Water Gate Sneek

The Waterpoort in Sneek is a water gate, a gate in a defensive wall that connects a city to a waterway. In the 15th and 16th century, a defensive wall had been built around Sneek.

11Fountains Sneek

A man with a Horn of Plenty stands on a golden ball in the middle of the water.

Geau Akwadukt

Het aquaduct over de Geau (Geeuw) bevindt zich aan de zuidzijde van de waterrijke Elfstedenstad Sneek en is onderdeel van de rondweg om Sneek.

Terpensmole IJlst

The Terpensmole hasn't always been located near IJlst, and it hasn't always been named that way. The origin of the mill is in Grou, then Sneek, and it eventually ended up in IJlst.

Houtzaagmolen de Rat

Visit wind powered sawmill ‘De Rat’ and step back in time three hundred years!