Make sure to keep 1.5M apart!
Translated by Thomas Ansell
As reported by the Omrop Fryslân, a new cycle route is to open that goes around sites linked to the Second World War in the ‘Noorderleeg’: an area in the north-east of Friesland. The 33KM route will go around bunkers and other buildings and sites of interest. Visit Wadden and the Gemeente Noardeast-Fryslân want the route to highlight the fierce war in the air over the region.
The route was to be opened on Wednesday, however due to the new regulations around the COVID-19 outbreak this will no longer go ahead. “The world has a larger provlem at the moment, and it is not responsible for us to bring so many people together for the opening”, said Mark van den Anker of VisitWadden.
Despite the opening being postponed, the route is accessible for cyclists at the moment, “we have tried to bring together all of the incredible locations we can through the route: where the fierce air battle raged across the Wadden region. It’s a lovely afternoon cycle”, said Van den Anker.
The idea behind the route is to show people the history of the region, which the organisations behind the route think is unknown to many people. “We know a lot about the Second World War and Dutch liberation, but there was a heavy battle that took place over the Wadden region, and that’s normally only visible for people through the various graveyards and bunkers left and right. What actually happened here is a bit hidden for lots of people, so we have now added information and more details”, said Van den Anker.
Both the start and finish of the route is at the Seadykstertoer (Marrum), which is also a small museum with exhibits by amateur historian Harry Feenstra. “Maybe people will get really enthusiastic about unearthing history themselves, because there’s lots of things that are still unknown”, said Feenstra.
Image (bunker in Alaska, USA) via Wikimedia user Joseph from Cabin on the Road
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