At thegreenlist.nl we are huge fans of Friesland. The peace, the space, the water and a growing number of lovely places to stay that have also considered sustainability. Add to that the fact that you can simply travel there within the Netherlands and you will understand: we love coming here. A relatively new gem that fits right onto our greener list is Goudpoel. A small-scale spot with eleven sustainable waterfront lodges, close to De Alde Feanen National Park. And with charming Frisian villages, lovely cycle routes and plenty of places for coffee, ice cream and sugar loaf nearby, you certainly won't be bored here for a weekend.
Gold pool: small holiday park on the water
Gold pool is the kind of holiday park where you immediately notice upon arrival that a lot of thought has gone into it. It is small-scale, car-free and the eleven cottages are nicely secluded. You have the choice: right on the water or a bit more sheltered in the greenery, ‘in the lee’ as they call it at Goudpoel. But it was mainly inside that made us happy. The tiny houses are tastefully decorated and feel enormously spacious for their size, with a living room, two bedrooms, a bathroom, a good kitchen and a lovely dining and seating area. The rest has been thought of too: good beds, a rain shower, super-fast Wi-Fi (very important), smart TV and nice coffee. And some cottages even have a hot tub in the back garden! Drag a shopping bag of treats inside and you immediately feel at home. Exactly what you want during a weekend away, because there is no time to lose!
Nano houses in Friesland
The holiday homes at Goudpoel are so-called Nano houses. And ‘nano’ does not just refer to the compact size. That is because they have been built to be as environmentally friendly as possible. The homes consist largely of biobased materials, are fully electric, and no steel, concrete or fossil insulation material has been used. They have also been designed to be demountable, so that the materials can be reused at the end of their lifespan. Goudpoel therefore fits entirely on the greener list.
Sneak peek of the interior of the lodge in the shelter of Goudpoel.
Plenty to do at Goudpoel
There is a strong chance that in good weather you won't even be in a hurry to leave Goudpoel. You are right by the water here and there are two SUPs ready for you to use for free. Fancy heading out further? Then you can hire an electric sloop moored right outside and set off onto the Frisian waterways from Goudpoel. It's also great here with children: opposite the cottages is a lovely little beach featuring, among other things, a zip wire and a water play area with water pumps. You can walk there in two minutes, or just jump into the water at Goudpoel and swim to the other side. And if you choose a hot tub next to your cottage, your evening plans are sorted straight away too.
Our experience at Goudpoel
What we also really liked is how easy everything is. You check in online at home, you download an app and through the app your phone becomes the key to your cottage. Super handy! Once inside, a personal letter is waiting for you with all the important information. And during your stay everything is nice and informal. If you have a question or need something, you just send a quick message and they are quick to help you think things through. Behind Goudpoel is a team with a lot of experience in the recreation sector and you notice that in these kinds of things. It feels personal, but you are also left in peace. In short, just right.
Things to do around Goudpoel: cycling the small ferries route and hiring an e-boat.
What is there to do in the local area?
By all means, do spend plenty of time hanging around Goudpoel and make the most of your cottage, but do also venture out, because there is plenty of fun to be had in the local area by bike, by sloop or simply by car. Here are our tips:
- Cycle via the small ferries to Grou. At the neighbour's Fean en Farre you can hire fine electric Gazelle bikes. Let us know when booking and they will be ready and waiting for you. We cycled from Goudpoel via three bicycle ferries towards Grou. There we stopped for a drink at The Tea House and we got an ice cream at Scoop. Tip: try the sugar loaf flavour. And while we're on the subject of sugar loaf: be sure to pick up the award-winning Frisian sugar loaf at bakery Marten Boonstra in Grou for breakfast the next day. Fancy more miles? From Goudpoel you can do a lot more more beautiful cycling routes cruising through the Frisian lakes area.
- Go and eat at De Koken in Akkrum. Akkrum is a lovely Frisian village to wander around anyway, but we would specifically book a table at De Koken. You sit on an almost tropical terrace by the water and the menu features plenty of fresh and homemade food, with plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. Watch a video about De Koken here. We've been here before!
- Discover De Alde Feanen National Park. A beautiful nature reserve near Goudpoel where you can walk, cycle and sail. Also take a look at the current events calendar of De Alde Feanen National Park of it It Fryske Gea, because nature trips are regularly organised (also for children, really cool). During a previous one, we went road trip through Friesland birdwatching with a nature guide. Really nice to see the area through different eyes for once!
- Go to Earnewâld. This village lies in the middle of De Alde Feanen and is a great place to explore the nature reserve further. Walk or cycle a route, hire a canoe or see what nature excursions are being organised.
- Take in a day out in Leeuwarden. Fancy a bit more hustle and bustle? Leeuwarden is about a twenty-minute drive from Goudpoel, so it's easily combined with your stay. And with an e-bike, you can even turn it into a lovely day of cycling. View all our greener tips for a day out in Leeuwarden here.
A weekend in Goudpoel in Friesland? We say go for it!
As far as we're concerned, Goudpoel is one of those places where everything comes together nicely: a lovely little cottage, plenty of water and nature right on your doorstep, and plenty of nice places to cycle or sail to. You can head out, or just as easily spend the afternoon hanging around your cottage with a book, a SUP or that hot tub. And perhaps that's the best thing about a weekend at Goudpoel: nothing is a must, but a whole lot is possible. We'd love to come back here again!
Find out more about recreation park Goudpoel in Friesland.
Photo credits: thegreenlist.nl.
