Holiday apartment in Holwerd – village history, mudflats and walking trails

Holiday apartment in Holwerd between village history and the mudflats

Holwerd combines village history with a landscape along the mudflats. When you choose a holiday apartment in Holwerd, you can include historic buildings, salt marshes and various types of walks in your travel plans. Holwerd is one of the places whose protected village views in the municipality of Noardeast-Fryslân were designated by the Dutch state. Construction of the present-day Sint-Willibrorduskerk in Holwert began in 1776. The villagescape and coastal landscape therefore offer several starting points for different day plans.

Churches and a windmill as historical discoveries

The Sint-Willibrorduskerk in Holwert has a 52-metre-high tower that served for a long time as a navigation mark on the Wadden Sea. The church has an unusual L-shaped design. Its organ was built by J.C. Scheuer in 1852 and modified by Bakker & Timmenga in 1907. Most of the furnishings date from the 17th and 18th centuries.

The Doopsgezinde Kerk in Holwert is a hall church built in 1850, with a high entrance structure beneath a transverse roof. It replaced a nearby Mennonite meeting house dating from 1692. The church has a single-manual organ by Bakker and Timmenga from 1905.

The octagonal gallery Dutch windmill De Hoop in Holwert dates back at least to around 1743; its sails have a span of 23.65 metres. De Hoop is regularly operated by volunteers and used as a teaching mill.

Salt marshes, dikes and mudflat walks

At the ferry terminal to Ameland near Holwert, Staatsbosbeheer manages an extensive salt-marsh area. The excursion “Wandeling Holwerd aan Zee” leads through the historic centre of Holwert, over the dike and through the salt marshes to the Kees Weverswadpost birdwatching hut. The Kees Weverswadpost can be reached via the old summer dike and also via the dike north of Holwert.

The mudflat walk “Wadlopen naar Ameland” initially leads through a challenging mudflat area, then mostly across firm sandbanks and through several channels. For this activity, registration takes place at the stairs of the Land- en Zeezicht restaurant on the pier in Holwert. The Wagenborg Passagiersdiensten ferry from Holwert to Ameland takes about 50 minutes.

Walking trails for different day plans

The circular walk “Holwert” is 12.1 kilometres long and connects the village with the sea once again. The “Waddentour” walking route in Holwert is marked with Waddentour signs. During the breeding season from 15 March to 15 July, the alternative route “Rondwandeling Holwerd” should be used. When choosing a holiday apartment in Holwerd, this information provides clear guidance between a longer village circuit, a marked walking route and a mudflat walk with challenging terrain.

Art along the way and views of the sea

The “Wandeling Holwerd aan Zee” route passes the Sense-of-Place artwork “De mannen van Holwerd”, an installation by Linette van Raven. The installation “Wachten op hoog water” consists of two five-metre-high female figures welded from metal, looking out to sea. It addresses the search for balance and exchange.

Discover more places

For further travel planning: Oostmahorn, Engwierum, Moddergat, Waaxens Gem Dongeradeel, Ee, Wierum, Paesens and Hantum.

For the overarching travel overview: Dongeradeel.