Staycation in the Netherlands: skating on natural ice (Tjeukemeer, Friesland

Nothing beats Groningen, except skating on the Frisian lakes. On the large Tjeukemeer, for instance. The whole east side of this lake has glorious mirror ice of the finest quality. This is skating.

Black ice on the Tjeukemeer?

The spell of frost began exactly a week ago, stormily, with heavy snowfall and a stiff wind. Which has left many places with bad ice. That applies, in part, to Friesland too.

Even so, there are plenty of places with ‘black’ ice: hard, smooth and transparent, quite simply sublime.

The east side of the Tjeukemeer falls into that category. A giant mirror full of beauty. Here you can put in a good many kilometres on natural ice.

‘It does not get better than this’

The beauty has been noticed by well-known skaters.

• Mark Tuitert skated on the lake recently and was exceptionally enthusiastic. “It does not get better than this.”
• Koen Verweij had already spoken in praise about the ice conditions there. “This is skating.”
• Jutta Leerdam should be there today as well. “Tomorrow on the Tjeukemeer. Of course I am going. Now it is possible”, said she said yesterday in the AD.

The Tjeukemeer, a gift from God for skating on natural ice

Tjeu(ke) means ‘gift from God’. That name fits perfectly during this spell of frost. Because the Tjeukemeer feels like a gift from God for skating on natural ice.

In Frisian (Tsjûkemar) it all sounds rather less sweet. Tsjûke was, according to Frisian lore, a dog's name and an insult along the lines of ‘bitch’.

Back to the Tjeukemeer. The mirror ice stretches for kilometres and kilometres. The sun is out again. Only the wind calls for extra care today; it is blowing hard.

Getting on the ice at Hotel Het Tjeukemeer, Vierhuis

You can get on the ice at Hotel Het Tjeukemeer by the hamlet of Vierhuis, north of Delfstrahuizen. From here you skate straight onto the lake, on remarkably fine natural ice.

Getting on the ice from Nieuweschoot / Heerenveen

Anyone who would rather take the scenic route first can get on at Nieuweschoot, near Heerenveen. That is possible by the bridge over the Engelenvaart. There is free parking.

Then you skate south along that Engelenvaart towards the Tjonger. After that you follow the Tjonger west to the Vierhuistervaart, or Fjouwerhúster Feart.

That brings you to Hotel Het Tjeukemeer after all.

From a skating holiday to a staycation on natural ice

The travel magazine dionvacation offers inspiration about international skating trips for your skating holiday.

• Because of corona (COVID-19) and the negative travel advice those trips are not going ahead.
• Thanks to this spell of frost at home we can skate on natural ice after all.
• Which is why these days we are covering the Dutch lakes with the best ice conditions.

Published earlier in this series: the Paterswoldsemeer and the Leekstermeer.