There is nothing quite like Friesland: discover camping Vrijhaven in Heeg

A place still waiting to be discovered

If you've never holidayed at Camping Vrijhaven in Heeg before, you have the privilege of discovering this wonderful spot with fresh eyes. Anyone who's been before knows just how special it is.

Jacob and Karin, since 1987

In the middle of the Frisian village of Heeg lies the campsite run by owners Jacob and Karin, who opened their doors in 1987 with a good dose of courage and idealism, welcoming campers who, like them, held sustainability, innovation and culture in high regard. Almost forty years on, you can still feel it.

A free, easy-going atmosphere

This is a campsite where you can switch off and truly unwind together. No entertainment programme dictating your day, no tannoy system. You decide what you do, and that's exactly why people keep coming back.

Land, water and the village centre

Vrijhaven sits on the border of land and water, just within the built-up area of Heeg, on the Heegermeer, one of the largest lakes in Friesland. The village is five hundred metres away and the supermarket a kilometre, so you can do everything on foot or by bike.

Your own little beach and your own jetty

The campsite has a small sandy beach and its own jetty, so you can be out on the water in no time. Hire a boat or bring your own gear. Sailing, paddleboarding, windsurfing, canoeing and sloop sailing are all possible, and anyone who wants to learn to sail gets lessons from an experienced instructor.

The Beachbar in a shipping container

Down by the water stands the Beachbar, built inside a converted shipping container, serving organic produce, espresso and snacks with a view across the lake. It's the kind of place where a cup of coffee after a sail turns into an hour without you noticing.

A wood-fired hot tub

For an evening to remember, hire the Dutchtub, a wood-fired hot tub in the open air. You light it yourself, and by the time the water's warm the sun is low over the lake. It's especially worth it in the low season, spring and autumn.

Sneek, Workum and Hindeloopen

Sneek is ten kilometres away, a fifteen-minute bike ride, with a historic town centre and the Weduwe Joustra for a Beerenburg. Workum is a fifteen-minute drive and Hindeloopen twenty minutes, both on the IJsselmeer. Leeuwarden is thirty-five kilometres away.

The Woudagemaal, a short bike ride away

Eight kilometres away stands the Woudagemaal, the largest steam pumping station still in operation in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can cycle straight there and join a guided tour. After really heavy rain it sometimes still runs, and that's an impressive sight.

Mild summers and long evenings

The maritime climate brings mild summers of around twenty-two degrees and long, light evenings. That means you can sit outside here until late without it ever feeling stuffy. Do bring a jumper though, as the wind picks up off the water once the sun goes down.

Sleeping in a Cozy Lodge

Vrijhaven has the Cozy Lodge with Teeny Lodge for four people, twenty square metres from eighty-nine euros, and a version for six people of twenty-five square metres. The latter has an espresso machine. There's an outdoor playground, and Jacob and Karin know all the best spots in the area.

Closer than you think

That might just be the biggest advantage. No long drive, no toll roads, no border. You get in the car, and a few hours later you're sitting by the water with your feet in the sand.