Tytsjerksteradiel offers opportunities for water sports, hiking and cycling amid its diverse landscapes. A large part of the municipality is part of the Noardlike Fryske Wâlden. Rows of alders, wooded banks, sandy paths and glacial pits shape the landscape there. Wetlands and lakes also offer special perspectives on nature.
Waterways and wetlands
The municipality’s main tourist hub is De Alde Feanen National Park and the village of Earnewâld. Boating, hiking, cycling and birdwatching are among the activities available there, along with excursions and sightseeing cruises. The national park’s information centre in Earnewâld provides information about routes, nature and activities, and serves as a starting point for hikes and boat trips. As it is open seasonally, check the opening hours before your trip. Pettebosk, a small wetland play forest with plenty of water, bridges and a play area for children, is near the visitor centre.
The routes also vary in length and theme. The “Rondje Alde Feanen” boating route is listed as 31.4 kilometres long, while the “Fietsen langs het water” cycling route is 39.7 kilometres. The 5.5-kilometre “Earnewâld: toeristisch hart van De Alde Feanen” route passes through the 40 Mêd area, along the open waterway Lange Sleat and past a meadow bird area. It is worth checking for current route information before setting off. The Mindfulness Route runs through It Wikelsân in De Alde Feanen National Park and has been open to the public since May 2025; access rules may change seasonally.
40 Mêd is a wet peatland area, mostly covered in reeds. Water-filled peat-cutting pits are reminders of peat extraction there; characteristic birds include the bittern, bearded reedling and reed warbler. Burgumer Mar, by contrast, is a freshwater lake with extensive reed beds and marshland where waterbirds and marsh birds can be observed. De Leijen was formed by peat extraction and is shallow in many places; the De Leijen–De Putten observation tower stands on an old pumping station.
Crafts, museums and Frisian tradition
In Earnewâld, the Skûtsjemuseum brings to life the lives of earlier generations of skûtsje sailors and traditional shipbuilding crafts such as blacksmithing and sailmaking. The Scherjon's Klompenmuseum offers insight into another craft: it is dedicated to the history of the oldest Dutch shoes and displays an international collection of wooden clogs. Visitors can look straight into the workshop and watch sixth-generation clog makers making wooden shoes today.
In Noardburgum, the Fierljepmuseum tells the story of the history and development of fierljeppen, a traditional Frisian pole-vaulting sport. Those who want to try the sport can learn more and give it a go at the fierljep facility in the Burgum area; check the current participation requirements in advance. Museum & Sterrenwacht Burgum combines a museum and an observatory with a planetarium.
Churches and historic sites
The St Vitus Church in Wyns showcases architectural history spanning several centuries. The nave and chancel were built around 1200 from red monastery bricks—a rarity for that period. Inside are a wooden barrel vault from the 16th century and an organ dating from 1899. St Paul’s Church in Aldtsjerk dates from the mid-12th century; its preserved interior includes a pulpit from 1630 and the Sminiabank.
The Tegeltjesbrug near Gytsjerk, the Elfstedentocht memorial, tells another story of Frisian history. Maree Blok and Bas Lugthart designed the memorial; thousands of handmade tiles feature portraits of skaters who once completed the Elfstedentocht. In Earnewâld, the former Reformed church dates from 1906 and has been the Protestantse Kerk Gemeente Earnewâld since 2018. Its pulpit is shaped like the bow of a Frisian skûtsje.
Near Oentsjerk, Stania State offers walks in the park and scenic cycling routes in the surrounding area. The old park around Heemstra State remains accessible and features long avenues, old trees and the former gardener’s house.
Discover more destinations: Eernewoude, Oostermeer, Ryptsjerk, Aldtsjerk, Hardegarijp, Sumar, Noardburgum, Burgum, Jistrum, Wyns.
For the broader travel overview: Friesland.
