Frisia Coast Trail.com

The much-celebrated Frisian Freedom refers to the period roughly between 1250 and 1500, when the Frisian terrae  (‘lands’)—bearing...

Man-made hills to dwell upon. Long thought of as typically Frisian, but they are anything but unique. Consider the Kincaid Mounds of the...

Haubargs . Cathedral-like farmsteads with hipped roofs soaring up to twenty meters high, icons of the Eiderstedt peninsula in the region...

May 8, 2021. Visual artist, photographer Arie Bruinsma approached one of the Frisian bastards . Arie explained to him that his wife...

On the west bank of the mighty River Rhine, halfway between the cities of Koblenz and Mainz, lies the town of Sankt Goar. Named after...

Imagine this: one day your husband brings home a young, unmarried woman. A virgin, even. He simply takes her into your house, openly shows her affection—and who knows what else. But that is not all. He also gives this maiden full access to your pantry and your savings account, which she—for crying out loud—starts spending on charity. And when you dare to speak up, your husband brushes you off by comparing you to the jealous queen in Snow White , or Cinderella’s evil stepmothe

The name Frisii  for the people who lived along the southern coast of the North Sea is ancient—very ancient. It dates back to Late...

Pagare il fio  is Italian for 'paying the penalty,' though literally it means 'paying the fee,' a phrase inherited from the northern...

Hiking demands careful preparation, especially when it comes to personal safety. What is in your First Aid Kit? Do you have basic first...

The heart of Western democracies is the joint assembly of Parliament, Cabinet, and High Councils of State. Its Celtic-Germanic origin is the thing , also called ting , ding , or þing  in other writings. Today, national assemblies in Scandinavian countries still refer to this ancient tradition. For example, the parliaments of the Faroes Løgting , of Greenland Landsting , of Iceland Alþingi , and of Norway Storting . However, the oldest written attestation of the thing  institu

At the end of the eighth century, by decree of Charlemagne and under the supervision of the wise men Wlemar and Saxmund, the customary law of the Frisians was codified. It is called the Lex Frisionum . Its jurisdiction included the land between the Flehum and Sincfalam rivers 'between Vlie and Sincfalam River'. The River Flehum flowed into the North Sea, where the sea strait Vlie is located today, between the islands of Terschelling and Vlieland. Sincfalam , also written as

Are these white letters on the wall encrypted gibberish to you? With learning a handful of keywords, you'll have deciphered them in no time. Even better, tens of thousands of town names will hold no longer any secrets for you. Each placename will reveal its unique story to you. You will make a great impression on your fellow citizens or travellers! These words reveal everything about the history of the place you are in. Regardless if you travel the Frisia Coast Trail or live

"If you don't care about your own history, you may as well leave the classroom." Words from the geography teacher at high school Simon Vestdijk in the port town of Harlingen in 1988. We, the two Frisian bastards , were about sixteen years old and in the fifth grade of VWO, i.e., pre-university education. The annoyed words were addressed to two giggling girls from the villages of Arum and Witmarsum , sitting in the back of the classroom. The teacher had already opened the door

On the first of February 2020, one of the Frisian bastards  of the Frisia Coast Trail tramped the trail section from the town of Bad Nieuweschans to the small village of Termunten. It is a hike of thirty kilometers along the southern shores of the Dollart Bight. The day before, in the evening, the bastard arrived at a bed & breakfast called Kanonnier , meaning 'gunner' or 'bombardier'. The conversation with the owner brought the bastard from Bad Nieuweschans, to the city of B

The peoples of islands and archipelagos do not let others dictate how to live their lives. One of those archipelagos that meets these criteria as well is the Wadden Sea. For centuries, it is from here that sea explorers, tax evaders, sturdy Arctic whalers, self-righteous women, pirates, privateers, and other vagabonds have come. An archipelago that the Sea Beggars and the earliest trouser-wearing women call home. Even the first atheist of modern times comes from this archipel

For those outdoor enthusiasts who consider hiking the mudflats of the Wadden Sea, it is essential to know that this is not just a worldly journey but a spiritual one. The entire Frisia Coast is, in a way, a spiritual belt, protecting the southern coast of the North Sea against northern darkness, according to early medieval sources. In October 1143, the bishop of Utrecht, Hartbert of Bierum—originating from Bierumen , a medieval ribbon settlement on the coast near the villages

July 1987. The two Frisian bastards , both being sixteen years old at the time, went to the village of Wijnaldum – Winaem  in the Mid-Frisian language. Reason to go was twofold. Firstly, the yearly street kaatsen  tournament was taking place that day. Secondly, one of their most beautiful classmates, Gerda, lived close to Wijnaldum. The yearly village games were an unsuspected excuse to see her. Barely had the bastards arrived at the tournament, or they were ordered to leave

About 2,000 years ago, a tragedy unfolded. A sixteen-year-old girl, who had suffered from scoliosis during her young life, was killed. Her red hair was shaved off on one side, she was stabbed at the base of her neck on the right shoulder, and strangled with a woollen rope. After this, she was placed in the bog. It all happened near the Celtic fields in what was then the territory of the Old Frisians, near the current village of Yde in the province of Drenthe. It was not inves

The Pesse Canoe. The world’s oldest known water vessel was discovered near the village of Pesse in the Dutch province of Drenthe. Dated to between 8040 and 7510 BC, it predates even the great cradles of civilization such as Egypt and Mesopotamia. Yes, you read that correctly—feel free to go back and check the date. The Pesse dugout canoe is carved from Scots pine, measuring about 3 meters in length and 45 centimeters in width. Its front is left thick and solid, giving it a ki

In 2004, archaeologists made a remarkable discovery at the early medieval burial ground of Solleveld, just south of the city of The Hague: a boat grave. It lies almost exactly two hundred kilometres in a straight line due east across the North Sea from the legendary ship burial at Sutton Hoo. With this extraordinary find, the Netherlands joined the select group of nations known for ship burials—a distinction not to be taken lightly. National pride soared. The discovery also e