In Oostmahorn, water-based activities, routes through the Lauwersmeer area and historic sites come together. The Súd Ie is a 12-kilometre route for SUP and canoeing. A short walking route and the “Rondje Lauwersmeer” cycling route also start at TOP Oostmahorn. You can tailor your stay to water activities, exercise or culture, and choose specific activities accordingly.
Waterways and Activities on the Lauwersmeer
The Súd Ie route can be continued from Ezumazijl via the Nije Feart to Oostmahorn. From Oostmahorn, you can also travel along the route towards Dokkum. This describes two different directions to consider when planning, while the 12-kilometre SUP and canoe route provides a defined route framework. If you would rather be on the water but not paddle yourself, you can choose another way to experience it: the 2.5-hour boat trip on the Vlinderbalg passes through Lauwersmeer National Park.
At the Lauwersmeer-Oostmahorn surf spot, you can enjoy freestyle, wave, speed, freeride and Formula windsurfing. These different disciplines are all available at the same surf spot, but are separate activities alongside paddling on the Súd Ie and taking a trip on the Vlinderbalg. When planning your trip, you can choose between a route, windsurfing and a guided boat trip, without combining these activities into one tour.
Routes, Birdlife and the National Park
“Rondje Lauwersmeer” is a 43.9-kilometre cycling route that can start at TOP Oostmahorn. If you prefer a short walk, the starting point for “Wandelen rondom Oostmahorn” is also there. From the TOP, you can go straight into the Lauwersmeer National Park area. The TOP is therefore a shared starting point for activities with different forms of exercise and route lengths; it is also a starting point and offers parking for the Wadden Tour.
The Lauwersmeer area has been an official national park since 2003. The surroundings of Oostmahorn combine varied landscapes with tranquillity, open space and especially rich birdlife. Nature is a focus in its own right, alongside the specific routes: it is part of the character of the area, while the cycling and walking routes each have a specific starting point and format.
The Oostmahorn beach and playground also offer various ways to spend time by the water. Facilities include play equipment, shaded areas and small adventure play areas; you can splash around in the Lauwersmeer there. These activities are different from the longer routes and boat trip, and complement nature and route planning with a place to play and spend time by the water.
Telephone, Coastal and Village History
The PTT Wisselstation in Oostmahorn is a repeater station built in 1950 in the style of a Danish farmhouse. It once played an important role in telephone communications between the Netherlands and Scandinavia. Its construction date, architecture and former function give the building several historical points of reference: it can be understood both through its exterior design and through the connection between the countries at the time.
The Kruitmagazijn Oostmahorn is an old gunpowder magazine dating from the early 19th century. It recalls the time when a coastal battery stood here to defend the Wadden Sea against privateers and enemy ships. Oostmahorn also played an important role as a defensive post on the Lauwerszee. Another maritime landmark in the village’s history is De Skâns-Oostmahorn: after 1945, it was the home port of the ferry to Schiermonnikoog.
The Wadden Tour connects local history with the surrounding area and is designed as a cultural and historical route. In the villages, it passes notable historic buildings; information boards on facades or in gardens mark these stops. The tour can start at TOP Oostmahorn. Together with the PTT Wisselstation, the Kruitmagazijn and the historic links to defence and ferry traffic, it offers a different way to explore the village than the water and nature routes.
Discover more destinations: Engwierum, Holwerd, Paesens, Moddergat, Ee, Wierum, Nes Gem Dongeradeel, Niawier.
For the broader travel overview: Dongeradeel.
