Line © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), checked by Global Adventurer.
The paddling route
Put in from the quay at De Zuiderkluft, the public visitors' harbour on the west side of Giethoorn, and paddle east along the Cornelisgracht into the village. Turn north up the Dorpsgracht, the narrow canal lined with thatched farmsteads, gardens and little arched footbridges that has made Giethoorn famous, then follow the Molenvaart out onto the Bovenwijde, a broad, shallow lake left by centuries of peat digging and now part of Weerribben-Wieden National Park. Cross down its western side to the south channel and come back up the southern Dorpsgracht and the Cornelisgracht to the harbour.
It is 6.7 km round; allow about 1½ hours in a canoe or kayak and 2 on a paddleboard. The grade is Easy: canals and a lake at one level, with no locks.
No permit is needed. The Dorpsgracht is a busy public canal with low bridges: keep to the signed direction, keep right and give way to the electric hire boats and tour punts, which crowd it from 11:00 to 17:00 in July, August and on public holidays, so go early or late in summer. The Bovenwijde is shallow and builds short, steep waves in wind: on a windy day stay in the canals. Keep out of the reed margins, where birds nest. Wear a buoyancy aid and check the conditions before you set off.
Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap waterways (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.
Good to know
- Up the Dorpsgracht, the canal through Giethoorn's thatched farmsteads and footbridges
- Back across the Bovenwijde, a shallow peat lake in Weerribben-Wieden National Park
- The lakes and canals were left by centuries of peat digging
- Bert Haanstra's 1958 film Fanfare made the village famous
On the water
- Put in: Giethoorn, De Zuiderkluft visitors' harbour (quay) 52.72047, 6.07464
- No locks or weirs on the way.
- About 1.9 km (1.2 mi) on open water, up to 222 m from the shore: wind and waves build quickly.
- Rules and licences: Gemeente Steenwijkerland, Natuurmonumenten. Check whether you need a licence before you go: on many inland waters in England and Wales you do, and Paddle UK membership includes one for many of them.
- Suits canoes, kayaks, paddleboards.
Getting there
Start: Giethoorn, De Zuiderkluft visitors' harbour. 52.72047, 6.07464
Places to stay nearby
Rooms in and around Giethoorn: Booking.com → Expedia → Hotels.com →
Affiliate links: if you book, Global Adventurer earns a small commission at no cost to you.
Water levels, flow and the weather decide the day. The line and figures come from OpenStreetMap and our own checks; wear a buoyancy aid, check the river levels and the forecast, keep well clear of weirs and powered boats, and don't go out in flood.