Koekoek en de Waard

Start local with some time exploring IJlst – the ‘overtuinen’ (meaning ‘front gardens’), just over the road, provide a lovely green space for activities – and it’s also a short walk to De Rat working sawmill and Houtstad IJlst, a museum about the shipbuilding and wood industries. A little further afield, you can head to Sneek (15 minutes’ cycle/10 minutes’ drive) to explore the canals and see the famed red-brick Waterpoort, or to Heeg (10 minutes’ drive) for various watersports and sailing activities. Harlingen (half an hour) and Leeuwarden (35 minutes) are two more of the ‘Eleven Cities’ that are close by; both have history-filled streets and museums to visit. To see some of the area’s natural landscapes, make tracks to De Alde Feanen National Park (40 minutes) for boat tours and birdwatching, or Weerribben-Wieden National Park (50 minutes) for watersports, walks and wildlife watching.