We left Groningen fairly punctually – a pleasant town, which we will forever remember for selling us cottage cheese! Yes really. We have searched high and low in several European countries, but lo and behold, in a simple supermarket, we came across Hutte Kase. Plus points for Groningen.
Our departure was eased by the fact that the sailboat moored behind us was leaving too. He went first so we did not have to negotiate the rather narrow space between us, backwards. Saskia doesn't really like going backwards, or not in a straight line, and specially not in a wind.
The canal ride through and round the city was very pleasant – plenty of boats and yachts moored up.
There were bridges in profusion, of course, operated by a cheerful fellow on a bicycle, proceeding from one to the next.
We found ourselves leading a flotilla of half a dozen sailboats. There are several inland routes in the Netherlands that yachts can negotiate with their masts up, and they take full advantage.
There were lots of houseboats along the canal too, some in better shape than others:
After a while, and a lock that accommodated all seven of us in our flotilla, we turned off onto a larger, commercial canal leaving them to head for the North Sea. The landscape was pretty bleak, and not improved by the grey skies, strong wind and sharp showers.
All the same, there were some pretty gardens:
After a while we had to cross open water in the Burgumer Mar. The lake was a bit bumpy and we took the precaution of taking the barbecue off the roof, remembering our nasty experience on the Etang de Thau some years back, when we nearly lost it overboard. One island in the meer featured some summer moorings – but we were not tempted to join these intrepid souls.
We reached a welcoming harbour shortly after the meer and are pleasantly tucked up for the evening. Tomorrow we will head into Leeuwarden and see what it has to offer. Some shopping needed anyway, and I believe there is a statue of a Friesian cow.
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