Vanished monasteries and the old road

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Set off on your bike and leave your daily cares behind. As you cycle along at a leisurely pace, the sense of momentum slows down, giving you a chance to disengage from our frantic modern lifestyle. This makes you stronger, both physically and mentally. Want to take some time out to reflect? Then cycle this route from Leeuwarden to the town of Burgum and the surrounding area, past churches and former monasteries, and immerse yourself in age-old cultural history.

The route starts in Leeuwarden, the capital of Friesland, where you will find plenty to discover. For instance, the north side of Bagijnestraat street was once the site of a convent that housed a community of Beguines, also known as the Grey Sisters. The main building stood on the spot now occupied by Radio Mercury. The house next to it dates back to around 1550. This was the priory attached to the convent and probably served as living quarters for the priests who ministered to the convent. The monumental church building that is now the De Westerkerk performing arts theatre 
used to be the convent chapel.

A few streets away you will find the Walloon Church. This was once the chapel of a large monastery complex with nuns' quarters, an infirmary and a few homes as well as a bakery, a spinning mill and a brewery. The nuns were members of the Dominican order and were also known as ‘the singing sisters’. 

Then it’s time to leave the hustle and bustle of the city and experience the peace and tranquillity of the open countryside. You cycle on towards Burgum at a leisurely pace. Along the way you pass St Martin’s Church, known to the locals as the Kruiskerk or Krústsjerke church. This is the oldest building in Burgum.

In the 12th century, the Canons Regular founded the Bergklooster (or Barraconvent) monastery on Kloosterlaan road in Burgum. The monastery was dedicated to Saint Nicholas and played an important role in the peat cutting industry in the municipality of Tytsjerksteradiel. In Burgum, you can sense the centuries of history embedded in the monastery and the church.

The countryside in this area is very distinctive. The former peat cutting landscape around the town of Burgum and the village of Noardburgum has been transformed into pasture. So you can enjoy panoramic views along the way. With a bit of luck, you may also spot and hear meadow birds such as black-tailed godwits, lapwings and redshanks.

The next village on the route is Suwâld. Here you can enjoy a cup of coffee while the solar-powered ferry carries cyclists across the water. From here you cycle through open landscape dotted with farms and duck decoys, along the ring dike around the Lousmar polder and back into Leeuwarden along the Vliet canal.