It Noarderleech - Noard Fryslan Butendyks
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Want to get a breath of fresh air on these salt marshes outside the dikes? This area is a very popular attraction for birds, a sloppy million of them pay a short or longer visit every year. It's rough, wide and often you're the only one of your kind here!
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Bring your binoculars and look from the dike, the bunker or on the salt marsh at all the birds against the always lovely skies. Don’t forget to look down, where the samphire grows happily among all kinds of beautiful salt marsh plants. Nice to walk, with or against the wind, and continuously admire all the gorgeous sights. Walk amongst all the colours in the summer and the completely different landscape in the winter, beautiful and untouched and in perfect tranquillity.
Also stop by the visitor centre where you can pour your own cup of coffee and It Fryske Gea will playfully introduce you to the area and its residents. This is also the starting point of excursions that are regularly organised by the area managers who inspire you with their love for the area and through whose eyes you see so much more!
Here you will find It Noarderleech - Noard Fryslan Butendyks
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The liberation of Leeuwarden
The liberation of Leeuwarden
On 11 April 1945, it became clear that German resistance in the north of the Netherlands was limited. On 12 April, the Allies seized this opportunity to advance on Friesland as quickly as possible. One of the main goals was to liberate Leeuwarden. The 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade was designated for this purpose. But things would turn out differently.
On 12 April, the Royal Canadian Dragoons entered Friesland at Noordwolde. They were to conduct reconnaissance with their armoured vehicles and reach the Wadden Sea as quickly as possible. As a result, the German troops in Friesland and Groningen would be separated.Â
On the night of 14 to 15 April, three Squadrons of the Dragoons were at Suameer. ​​Burgum could not be reached earlier that day, because the bridge at Burgummerdam had been blown up by the Germans. Â
Meanwhile, all sorts of things were happening in nearby Leeuwarden. ​​On 12 April, the airfield had been blown up by the Germans. And they left the city on 14 April. Leeuwarden would not be defended. The Burgerweeshuis (Civil Orphanage) that had housed several German agencies was set on fire. ​​An attempt to blow up the telephone exchange failed due to an ingenious intervention by the resistance. In the early morning of 15 April, the resistance also took to the streets en masse to occupy important points and to capture Germans who had remained behind.   Â
The Dragoons in Suameer were in contact with the resistance in Leeuwarden. Due to various reports, it was unclear whether there was now heavy fighting in Leeuwarden or whether the Germans had left the city completely. Because the Germans had blown up important bridges on the route from Heerenveen to Leeuwarden, the infantry could not quickly provide assistance.  Â
So, the Dragoons went to take a look for themselves. Initially, a patrol of four vehicles was sent via the Groningerstraatweg into the city around half past eleven. One of the Canadians in those vehicles recorded the following:Â
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"As we entered the city, passing through ​​the concrete barrier by the narrow passageway left for normal traffic, we were met by an almost hysterical patrol of Resistance men [...] In a few moments the news of our arrival had spread through the city, and we were given a fantastic welcome as we rolled slowly forward into the centre of town."ÂA resident of Leeuwarden recalled: Â
"We lived close to the Groningerstraatweg, where our liberators passed. Many hundreds of us stood there, all happy spectators. All of a sudden, two ladies from the row flung themselves forward and threw their arms around the Canadians' necks, saying: "Oh darlings, you’re here at last!"ÂAfter the patrol determined that the coast was clear, the entire C Squadron, a detachment of the Royal Canadian Engineers and Regimental Headquarters of Lieutenant-Colonel Landell followed. Leeuwarden had been liberated. After this, thousands took to the streets. One of the Canadians wrote:Â
"We halted, and were immediately surrounded by laughing, yelling mobs of people, bringing flowers to give to us, and cheering every move. The Resistance men were everywhere, doing their best to keep the people within bounds and off the cars, but their efforts were hardly necessary. I never saw a more satisfying gathering in my life."ÂLeeuwarden had been liberated by the Dragoons through unexpected circumstances. On the night of 15 to 16 April, Canadian infantry moved into the city.Â
