Review- Landal Oudehaske, Where Comfort and Water Sports Combine

Just over an hour from Amsterdam and you’ll find yourselves in the Dutch province of Friesland. This area is known for its huge expanses of water, water sports and beautiful natural surroundings. During our family weekend at Landal Oudehaske at the end of August, this was exactly what we experienced.

If your family enjoys a true escape where there is less distraction from quality family time and where you can immerse yourselves in wholesome activities, such as fishing, sailing, supping or canoeing, then Landal Oudehaske is the right place for you. This holiday park has a stunning position overlooking a natural lake which stretches as far as your eyes can see.

We spent a long weekend at Oudehaske and thoroughly enjoyed our break away from normality. Landal Oudehaske is a small holiday park where we would say independence is key. Entrance to the accommodation is via a digital key and there is a reception area where you can get plenty of local info. At the reception you can also borrow from a range of different family games on an honesty basis which include badminton, jeu de boules and table tennis bats. The park is all set on water, and each lodge has beautiful views either across the lake or an internal pond surrounded by wildflowers and little pathways. You can rent canoes and supping boards, and for those who are keen on fishing, this is a great location for it. You can get a 1 year licence for the Netherlands from the reception.

We stayed in a 4-person Wellness Lodge which, like the rest of the accommodation at Oudehaske, is brand new. The placement of each accommodation is carefully thought out to maximise on views, privacy and the proximity of the water. We noticed that all of the families staying on the park had their canoes and supping boards stored in their back gardens. This was perfect for entering the water directly from your lodge, giving a sense of seamlessly blending in with the natural environment. This is such a beautiful location to enter the water and just be at one with the environment.

Our lodge was spotless, modern and well thought-out with all mod cons and even a sauna. There was a double bedroom with ensuite, separate bathroom with shower and a twin room. The living room was very inviting with its floor to ceiling windows that lead out onto the little deck/terraced area with views over a sandy bay and the stunning view across the water. Where other accommodation types had direct access to the water, ours had a natural barrier between the decking and the little beach with wooden poles and pretty plants. We really enjoyed this layout as we had a large garden to the side of the lodge with outdoor dining furniture, as well as the terrace area that was nice and secluded. This provided plenty of room for our children to knock a ball about or play a spot of jeu de boules and just a short walk took them to the sandy lake. There was a nice selection of playground apparatus built into the sand which my children enjoyed. We spotted that the sand was raked daily, giving it a fresh spruce each morning.

In the evenings we couldn’t resist sitting out on our terrace until the sun went down. The view was beautiful and the sunset a real treat. There really is something so wonderful about those lazy evenings, gathered as a family, chatting, snacking, playing games and being creative. Something we truly embrace and treasure. 

The local supermarket is a 5-minute drive away and there is a restaurant adjacent to the park should you wish to eat out. We popped by a few times for bar snacks and a drink. We were a little unlucky with the weather which meant we couldn’t use the water sports facilities as much as we hoped but this didn’t spoil our fun as there’s plenty to do in the local area too. We ventured to a few local towns and cities which were all within easy reach. Just a short drive took us to the local motorway making it really simple to explore the local area.

We really enjoyed mooching around Joure which is a really beautiful village with a relaxed feel. We meandered along the main shopping street which is lined with trees and has a cycle path running through it.  We particularly liked the friendly local feel and the boutique style shops. There was a quaint ice-cream parlour definitely worth visiting and some pretty terraces. If you visit Friesland yourself, we can recommend the Jousterpof which is a type of traditional currant bun with a sweet surprise in the centre. We just regret not bringing some home with us! If you enjoy a traditional sweet shop and like to purchase a local souvenir from your travels then like us, you’ll enjoy popping into the tourist information office, which is part of the Joure Museum.

We also visited the city of Sneek. During our stay there were little market stalls along the canals and a lovely bustling vibe with locals doing their weekend shopping. There is an abundance of shops to suit all interests, and the picturesque, traditional Dutch buildings provide a pretty backdrop. We came across plenty of places to have lunch and dinner, or as the locals were doing, terraces to enjoy a coffee or a little tipple.

We discovered a great family day out just 25 minutes drive from Oudehaske called Pantropica. It is a great interactive experience set amongst lush green tropical plants and divided into different areas where you can see birds, butterflies, monkeys, fish and flamingos. It is a much bigger location than we anticipated and is well designed with places to rest, eat, and play. We discovered a natural playground which was brilliant and there was also an inflatable area and other spots to play dotted about. We’d suggest you’ll need at least half a day to explore properly, follow all the routes and play areas. There are some educational shows throughout the day too.

Landal Oudehaske is quite different from many of the places we feature at Little Clogs as there is less in terms of catering, entertainment and facilities. Instead, the focus is on the high standard of accommodation and the beautiful setting where you can create your own fun and be together as a family. Landal Oudehaske provides this in abundance and certainly doesn’t scrimp on comfort. Should you wish to lazily SUP or fish your day away, then this is the perfect spot!