When thinking of Heeg, one thinks instantly of aquatics. The town with its many marinas and wharves, sailing schools, renting companies, cosy waterside restaurants, splendid aquatics facilities and the largest inland lake of Europe ‘Heegermeer’. Heeg offers a lot of fun and friendliness and lies within a 10 minutes walking distance of De Bird.

Heeg is a very attractive place for sailors as it is situated only 2 hours sailing of the ‘IJsselmeer' and a mere 10 kilometres of Friesland’s second-largest city of Sneek. In the immediate vicinity you will find some of the old and picturesque towns where the famous ‘Eleven Cities’-iceskating race is being held in winter. Sailing school De Bird regularly undertakes day trips to these beautiful places.

Not only is Heeg a very attractive place to stay to aquatics lovers, it also provides many pleasant diversions to landlubbers and cyclists. Camping or staying a night in a hotel to discover the surroundings with its many little churches and lively town centers by car, foot or bicycle is very well possible.

But above all Heeg is the heart of the aquatics in this area. In the main season the town is alive and bustling with activities. But just wander of the beaten track with your boat and experience that peace and quiet is easily found in the wide open spaces of this country to relax and enjoy. Boating, sailing, canoeing, hiking, cycling or driving: the southwest of the province of Friesland offers everything one can desire: calmness, space, action or relaxation!

A brief history of Heeg

Heeg was once famous for its international trading of eel. Dwelling alongside the water in the now quiet towncenter it may be hard to imagine that from as early as 1731 to the thirties of the 20th century eel barges sailed to-and-fro between Heeg and London. Not far from the Tower Bridge, the Frisian eel barges enjoyed a century-old privilege to freely moor their ships on the Thames at the Ductch Mooring in order to be able to quickly deliver the beloved eel.

These barges were approximately 18,50 meters long, and the live eel was kept amidships in the bun, that accordingly to the size of the ship could hold about 15.000 to 20.000 pounds of eel.