CYCLING ROUTE · FRIESLAND
Cycling Route Groene Ster and Friese Wouden
Cycle through a varied landscape of lakes, reed beds, swamp forests, and a small-scale woodland area shaped by traditional hedgerows and tree-lined banks.
The Landscape
To the east of Leeuwarden, the route begins in and around the Groene Ster recreational area, where water and greenery come together close to the city. You cycle past broad lakes, reed beds, and quiet patches of swamp forest, with ever-changing views across open shores and wide skies. Shaped by centuries of water management and peat extraction, the landscape feels both natural and carefully crafted.
Further east, the scenery shifts to the Friese Wouden, a characteristic bocage landscape of alder hedgerows, wooded banks, and small fields. Narrow roads follow the slightly higher sandy ridges, passing farms, hamlets, and sheltered country lanes. It is this transition from open waters to enclosed woodland that makes this cycling route remarkably rich and varied.
What You'll Discover Along the Way
Forests and Heaths
In the Friese Wouden, belts of woodland, hedgerows, and wooded banks give the route a sheltered character, with constantly changing light and views. On the drier sandy stretches, patches of heathland and nutrient-poor verges add a slightly wilder, more natural feel.
Polders and Farmlands
Open stretches of grassland and arable fields are neatly divided by ditches and long, narrow plots. These open sections provide wide views before the route returns to the intimate, small-scale rhythm of the woodlands.
Marshes and Peatlands
Wet fringes with reed beds and swamp forest appear at several points along the route. Small depressions and pools add to the peat-like character and create extra natural detail close to the road.
Lakes and Wetlands
The Groene Ster, also known as the Kleine Wielen, creates a distinct lake-like atmosphere with broad stretches of water and changing shorelines. Further along, De Leien and the Burgumer Mar extend this watery landscape with open water and reed beds.
Virtual Cycling Through the Groene Ster and Friese Wouden
Experience the Groene Ster and Friese Wouden from home, with lakes, reed beds, swamp forests, hedgerows and open grasslands creating a varied cycling landscape. The route gradually changes from the open, water-rich surroundings of Leeuwarden to the sheltered woodland landscape of the Friese Wouden.
Experience the route from home with virtual cycling.
Route Map and Cycling Junctions
Start and finish near cycling junction 49 at the Simmerkrite in Leeuwarden. Because this is a circular route, you can also start at one of the other cycling junctions along the route.
Route Details
Along the way: several options for a coffee break or lunch.
Discover More Cycling Routes
Explore more Friesland landscapes and find your next cycling adventure in nature.
EXPLORE ALL CYCLING ROUTES IN FRIESLAND →
