kayak routes Sneek

Kayak rentals: Het Toppunt, Top 3, 8606 JT Sneek. Tel.: 0515-420808 / 06-25515862

The Sneekermeer is a large lake. It's advisable to go there only when the wind is right and with the necessary precautions. Also the Houkesloot between Sneek and the Sneekermeer can be rather bumpy. But that's mostly because of the many boats passing by. During the week in the morning it's a lot more quiet than on a sunny Sunday afternoon...

Starting point De Seine in Sneek:

From the Afsluitdijk take exit 20 RING-West and follow the signs Ring Sneek.
From Joure take exit 22 RING N354, and follow the beltway N354. Exit the beltway at the roundabout in the direction Pasveer. Then turn left twice on De Seine. At the end there is a small parking place on the left. There is a low side where you can launch the kayak.

Route of 22.5 km. (GPS-track)

From the starting point you turn right on the Oudvaart. You pass the locks that are no longer in use, and the wooden boathouses. At the Y-junction you turn left. At the T-junction you turn left on the Sommerak. After the aqueduct the canal is named Houkesloot. You can go straight on here, or turn left on the canal behind the new houses. After a small lake you find the entrance of a kayak-route on your left. There are poles to prevent any wider boats to enter the area. You follow the canal and the small lakes. Expecially on the lakes the water is very shallow, just enough to pass. You pass a kayak-pier, and a little further the kayak-route ends. You follow the sharp bend to the right, and at the lake you turn left. There is another kayak-route that leads to the recreation-area De Potten. At the Potten you turn left and navigate around the waterski-area. There are piers from where you can swim in the lake. On the north-east side there is a nude recreation area. You go under the bridge to the Sneekermeer. This is a large lake, and even when the wind is good, there may be waves from the ships that navigate on the Prinses Margriet channel. You turn left and follow the left side of the lake behind three small islands. There are berthring places and there also is a low side for kayaks. After a small distance you navigate behind the fourth lake, and you keep the left shore. At the end of the lake there is a kayak pier at the dike Mardijk. Because of the reed it's a bit difficult to find it. From here you can portage to the Terzoolster Zijlroede. The kayak-pier on the other side is a little to the right. You follow the canal and pass the Kruisbrekken. There is nothing of any interest to see here, there's just reed and more reed. After the Kruisbrekken the canal is named Bangavaart. At the bridge there is a low side where you can go on land to take a break. After the bridge you turn right and follow the bend to the left. A little further after the next bridge you turn left on the Oudvaart. After a short distance you turn right and you pass the village Terzool (Tersoal). Follow the narrow canal and when you return at the Oudvaart, you turn left. You pass the villages Sijbrandaburen, Speers, Gauw and Goënga. The side-canals are marked with a sign. I just went to Sijbrandaburen to make some photo's. At the bridge before the side-canal to Goënga there are kayak-piers on both sides of the bridge. Just before the bridge of the beltway (ring) you turn right. There are locks with self-service. You can also carry the kayak passed the locks. There also is a portage place with kayak-piers near the bridge. But because of the reed it's difficult to access, so I would prefer the locks. After the locks you turn left and after the bridge you turn right to De Seine.

Sneekermeer