Biking briskly around the Lauwersmeer

There is a good chance of a stiff breeze during this beautiful ride, and it is this element that makes the route so special. So in this northern part of the Netherlands, border area of Groningen and Friesland, the cycling go-getter can get acquainted with the elements. At starting point Vierhuizen in the Westpolder, a monument recalls the flood disaster that occurred here in 1877, immediately after the reclamation. This development and the subsequent closing off of the Lauwerszee left a great mark on the living conditions of the population of the time. Lauwersoog, the departure point for the visible Schiermonnikoog, is a good place to stay before crossing the dike towards Friesland. Here the village of Anjum soon looms, a former very old mound that has undergone numerous name changes, with the beautiful Michael's Church in the center and, further along, the picturesque corn mill De Eendracht. This area is home to a good number of duck decoys, also a feature of other places in this region. The route here branches off to Oostmahorn, a popular recreational area near the Lauwerszee, which still has some of the reminders of skirmishes during WWII. On the south side of the Lauwersmeer, the 46-kilometer trail leads through the hamlet of Dokkumer Nieuwe Zijlen to Zoutkamp, a village with a long, illustrious and military history. The Sluismeesterswoning is an attractive landmark here.