Lauwersmeer

Mapmyride: http://www.mapmyride.com/route/netherlands/dokkumer-nieuwe-zijlen/688796708

GPS Willem Loréslûs: Lon 53.317000, Lat 6.159300    Ezumazijl: Lon 53.358770, Lat 6.148510

The starting point is easy to find. From Leeuwarden you go east on the N355. Just before Buitenpost there's a roundabout where you turn left on the N358 towards Lauwersoog. After you passed Kollum the road makes a bend to the right and then a bend to the left. When you see a big bridge you're at the starting point. Just across the bridge you'll find parking space and a kayak pier on your right.

1. A round trip along the side of the Lauwersmeer, the Zuider Ee, Dokkumer Grootdiep and De Oude Zwemmer. Distance 27 km. Extra detour to Dokkum will make it 33 km. Starting point at the locks  Dokkumer Nieuwe Zijlen. There is a small campsite:"De Brandgans", phone Tel.: 0511-408579. No kayak rentals. Take care if there's a strong wind, especially if it comes from the north or north-east.

The locks Willem Loréslûs are a main passage from the province Friesland toward the Lauwersmeer and the Waddenzee. From here we start going east on the Dokkumer Diep (photo above). The water is shallow outside the channel, but with a kayak you'll have no problem. The canal makes a bend to the north and becomes wider. You pass a small island on the left side. If there's a strong wind from the north there will be tricky waves after you pass the island. From the island it will be 1,5 km before you turn left into the Raskes. There is a stone dam stretching into the lake marked with a wooden triangle to indicate the entrance of the canal. After 1,5 km you reach the locks of Ezumazijl. There is a kayak pier on the right side. You have to carry the kayak across the dike and across the bridge. Ignore the no-entrance-sign (verboden toegang) at the locks as there is a kayak pier just on the other side of the locks behind the stone edge. From here you paddle west on the Zuider Ee for about 7 km. The last part there is a main road along the canal. When you see a park on your right where people are fishing, you turn left for the 27 km trip. (For Dokkum you go straight on for 3 more kilometers, and there turn left twice). Now you come on a small canal with several bends. At the end you see the chimney of an old stone-factory. Here you have to take the kayak out and carry it for about 150 meters. and lift it over one or more iron gates to reach the Dokkumer Grootdiep. At the Dokkumer Grootdiep there are just remains of a kayak-pier. The place is marked with a pole with a yellow top. From here you turn left. The Dokkumer Grootdiep was around 1600 a sea-arm on which war-ships could sail to the center of Dokkum. For a quick return to the starting point you keep following the canal east until you come at the locks of the starting point. This way you can reduce the total distance with about 3 km. The adventurous way back is turning right after 1,5 km. After a short distance you come at a bridge. You have to carry the kayak across a dam. There is a pier on the other side of the bridge. Follow the canal to the east, and it makes a bend to the right. There's another dam at the windmill where you'll have to carry the kayak around. Continue south and at the T-junction you turn left. Now you're on the Oude Zwemmer, an old stretch of river. You come at a weir and you'll have to carry around it. You can get out at a wooden shed with a round roof, or just before the weir on the right if you don't mind flattening the reed and stinging nettles before you can make your way through. On the other side there is a ditch connected to the Zwemmer where you can get in. Be careful not to break any of the  flowering rush. This is a protected plant in the Netherlands. Keep going east. Just before the canal ends, you turn right en  left again to reach a small lake. Across the lake you have to carry the kayak across a small dike with a road. There is a canal on the other side with a kayak pier. But because there's a lot of reed it is diffucult to find. You make your way through the reed just before the first white reflector pole and you'll find the kayak pier. Follow the canal and then turn left. The canal makes a bend to the right and you come back on the Dokkumer Grootdiep. From here it is 2,5 km to the starting point. Just before the locks you'll see a kayak pier on the left.

View from the locks Willem Loréslûs on the Dokkumer Nieuwe Zijlen

Locks in the Raskes at Ezumazijl.

Locks in the Raskes at Ezumazijl.

Curious cows at the Zuider Ee.

Old stone factory along the Dokkumer Grootdiep.

You'll have to carry the kayak around the dam at the windmill between the Dokkumer Grootdiep and the Oude Zwemmer (no kayak piers here).

Flowering rush is a protected plant in the Netherlands. The Dutch name is zwanenbloem.

2. A round trip passing Zoutkamp 37,5 km.

Starting point is at the same place as the first route. This route is described in the book "Kano Natuur Routes Friesland" by Rob Nuy  (in Dutch only). As it goes off the  the map ANWB Waterkaart Friesland and also off the map Kanokaart van Groningen I had to rely on the book. But everything was described very clear. There never was any point of doubt. 

Mapmyride: http://www.mapmyride.com/route/netherlands/dokkumer-nieuwe-zijlen/688661385.  

I made this trip on October 8, 2005. I left home at den Helder at 7 am and there was a clear sky and now ind at all. On the way to the starting point there was some fog on the way, but when I arrived at Dokkumer Nieuwe Zijlen the sun started to shine and it looked very good. I followed the Dokkumer Diep. It bends to the left. When I arrived at the gully I passed to the other side and passed the little island Senner Oog on the right side. At this time of the year there are very few boats on the water. When I came at the Lauwersmeer I turned east following the edge of the Sennerplaat. You pass a wide gully on your right, the Simonsgat. At this point there was a change in the weather. The sun didn't magane to shine through the fog any more. The wind started to blow from the south and clouds of mist flew in a spooky way across the water. But I could still see the other side of the gully and otherwise the direction of the wind would indicate which way to go. I followed the northern side of the Blikplaat. Then there was another much narrower gully to pass. After the gully the land bends to the right and this is the entrance of the Zoutkamperril which leads towards Zoutkamp. When you're near Zoutkamp you take the canal to the right. It ends at a lock named Friese Sluis. There is a kayak pier, but you have to climb across the dike and an electric cattle fence.There is a step made of wood to make it easier to pass the wires. It took me two hours from the starting point to get here. 

The canal  Munnekezeilsterriet makes a bend to the right and you pass the villages Lauwerszijl en Munnekezijl. At the bridge in Munnekezijl there is a picnic table and even a toilet. After Munnekezijl  you take the first canal to the right. The fog disappeard although there still was no sunshine.  At a bridge there is a row of farmhouses on your right. This is named De Leegte (Emptyness). After 300 yards you turn right into a narrow canal, the Keegensterried. There is a concrete dam with iron doors. You have to carry passed the obstacle. This canal makes many bends. There are some side canals, but you keep on the main (widest) canal. At a point the canal makes a sharp bend to the left and you see big satellite dishes ahead. When you are near Kollum you come at a pumping station. There are kayak piers so you can carry around. The sides are very slippery though! A little further on you come at old locks. They seem rather usesless to me as there is a new pumping station just a little further on. But they're still there and closed, so you have to carry around. At the next junction you turn right. At the end of the canal you go under a bridge and turn right again. After a bend to the left you see the bridge of the starting point with a kayak pier on the left.

A change in the weather near the gully Simonsgat.

Fog at the entrance of the Zoutkamperril.

Keegensterried, the long and winding canal. 

Satellite dishes near the Keegensterried.