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New Year’s Day swims in the north

by Traci White
December 26, 2018
in Typical Dutch
Home Typical Dutch

Starting off the new year fresh with a bracing swim is a tradition for thousands of Dutch people, and there are more than 50 events planned across the north to dive into 2019.

New Year’s Day swims – more accurately described as a quick dash into the water and right back out – are better known as polar bear plunges in North America, and the Netherlands has an extremely high density of the frigid dives. The idea behind the swims is that the invigorating shock of the cold water is a symbolic cleansing for the year to come, and while many people swear by the health benefits of the shiver-inducing swim, doctors are not exactly convinced.

Decked out in swimsuits and neon orange Unox toboggans, scores of Dutch folks take to the sea for the biggest dive on New Year’s Day in The Hague. This annual tradition, which began back in 1965 and has been sponsored by Unox since 1998, attracts 10,000 people who run into the icy waters and are greeted by a warm bowl of pea soup with smoked sausage (from Unox, naturally) once they are back on dry land.

Unox also organizes around 60 other dives across the Netherlands, including the Hoornseplas and Zuidbroek in the province of Groningen, seven sites in Drenthe and no fewer than 20 in Friesland. But there are plenty of non-Unox dives set to take place on 1 January in Groningen, Drenthe and Friesland, so check out our list below to see where brave souls in your neck of the woods can start 2019 with a splash. All of these dates, times and locations can be found at nieuwjaarsduik.info, so be sure to double check there before donning your swim wear and heading for the water.

Friesland:

The islands:

Ameland: 11 a.m. at Oranjeweg 61

Schiermonnikoog: 2 p.m. at Badweg 145

Midsland aan Zee on Terschelling: 1 p.m.  at Midsland aan Zee 457

Vlieland: 1 p.m. at Duinkersoord 29

 

Mainland:

Akkrum: 3 p.m. on 7 January at Ulbe Twijnstrawei 33

Aldtsjerk: 3 p.m. at Van Sminiaweg 107

Arum: 1 p.m. at Van Camminghaweg 10

Baard: 2 p.m. at Dekemawei 9

Bitgummole: 1 p.m. at Ingelumerdyk 20

Burum: 12 p.m. at De Meerpaal 13

De Westereen: 2 p.m. at Swemmerloane 7

Dokkum: 4:30 p.m. at Van Kleffenstraat 20

Drachten: 3 p.m. at Reidingweg 2

Feanwaldsterwal: 2:30 p.m. at De Wal 13

Grou: 1:30 p.m at Prinses Wilhelminastraat 12

Harlingen: 3 p.m. at Westerzeedijk 2

Heerenveen: 1 p.m. at De Dreef

Hindeloopen: 2 p.m. at Dijkweg

Joure: 12 p.m. at Twaresom

Jubbega: 1 p.m. at

Kollumerzwaag: 12 p.m. at

Langelille: 11 a.m. at

Leeuwarden: 2 p.m. at Noordersingel 102

Leeuwarden: 2 p.m. at De Groene Ster (for nudists only!)

Lemmer: 1 p.m. at Plattedijk 1

Mildam: 12 p.m. at Bruggelaantje 10

Oudega: 4 p.m. at Hagenadyk 5

Rottevalle: 2 p.m. at Bildreed 3

Rottum: 12 p.m. at Oude Postweg 34

Slappeterp: 2 p.m. at Kleasterdyk 12A

Steggerda: 2 p.m. at Pepergaweg 128

Surhuisterveen: 1 p.m. at Badlaan 2

Terherne: 1 p.m. at Jongebuorren 33

Witmarsum: 2 p.m. at Van Aylvaweg 62

Wolvega: 2 p.m. at Atalanta

 

Drenthe:

 

Assen: 2 p.m. at Baggelhuizen

Beilen: 1 p.m. at Eursing 32

Coevorden: 1:30 p.m. at Joh. Plasweg

De Wijk: 2 p.m. at Kerkbrug

Drouwenerveen: 2 p.m. at Zuideind 25

Erm: 2 p.m. on 5 January at Steenbakkersweg

Havelte: 3 p.m. at Dorpsstraat 21

Koekangerveld: 12 p.m. at Ruinerweg 23

Roden Ronostrand: 2 p.m. at Amerika 16

Zeijen: 2:30 p.m. at Hoofdstraat 40

 

Groningen:

 

Appingedam: 2 p.m. at Wijkstraat 38

Garnwerd: 1 p.m. at Hunzeweg 40

Groningen: 12 p.m. at Parkallee 98

Groningen: 3 p.m. at Achterom (Hoornseplas)

Havelte: 3 p.m. at Dorpsstraat 21

Lauwersoog: 1 p.m. at Strandweg 1

Meerstad: 12 p.m. at Waterviolier 2

Nieuwe Pekela: 2 p.m. at Merellaan 8

Oosterwijtwerd: 2 p.m. at Dorpsstraat 1

Ter Apel: 12 p.m. at Heembadweg 17

Wagenborgen: 3 p.m. at Meerweg 6

Zuidbroek: 2 p.m. at Botjesweg 1

 

Photo source: Ruud Onos/Flickr

Tags: DrentheFrieslandGroningenNew Year's DayNew Years Dive

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