Holiday apartment in Rottevalle – nature, water and history

Rottevalle combines nature experiences, waterways and a visible local history. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Rottevalle, you will find a variety of ideas here for your days away: from activities around a lake and historic walking trails to buildings and concerts with a special connection to the village’s past. Rottevalle’s history stretches from the name Mûntsegroppe on maps dating from 1540 to the rerouting of the Lits in 1956.

Experience the De Leijen nature area

Rottevalle is located in the Nationaal Landschap de Noardlike Fryske Wâlden. De Leijen is an important natural area to include when planning your days. The nature area comprises a lake, islands and the surrounding countryside, which can be explored. This places both the landscape and the water at the heart of your experience, without limiting you to just one way of enjoying the outdoors.

Water, activity and varied days

In the De Leijen nature area, you can watch birds, swim, go paddleboarding, surf or take a boat trip. There are also specific options on land: you can use the Laarzenpad or cycle around the lake. This allows quieter nature observation and more active excursions to be combined within the same natural setting. Birdwatching and swimming offer a different focus from paddleboarding, surfing or a boat trip. The Laarzenpad and the cycling route around the lake complement the water activities with land-based routes.

Rottevalle itself is also connected to the water. Thanks to the marina on the Lits, the village is directly connected to the Lits-Lauwersmeer route.

Walking trail with a long history

Rottevalle lies along the Mûntsegroppe, a straight historic walking trail. It connects the Olijfberg monastery in Veenklooster with the monastery in Smalle Ee. The name Mûntsegroppe already appears on maps from 1540. For your planning, this means that, alongside nature and water activities, a route with historical connections is also one of the characteristic themes of the village.

Traces of trade and change

Rottevalle’s history is also connected with the peat trade. For two centuries, this brought economic activity to the village before coming to an end around 1800. The Lits was rerouted around Rottevalle in 1956; part of the harbour was filled in as a result. The 1956 rerouting and the filled-in section of the harbour are still clearly visible there today.

Buildings, organ music and concerts

One of the prominent cultural attractions is the Doarpstsjerke in Rottevalle, built in 1724. It has a Van-Dam organ dating from 1863, which comes from the Schipperskerk in Leeuwarden. Concerts are also held in the Doarpstsjerke four to six times a year on Sunday afternoons. The programme ranges from classical music, such as Bach, to more modern singer-songwriters. In the heart of Rottevalle stands the monumental Herberg van Smallingerland, dating from 1791.

Discover more places

For the overarching travel overview: Smallingerland.