Moddergat is a fishing village in

Noardeast-Fryslân Noardeast-Fryslân is a municipality of Friesland in the northern Netherlands. It was established 1 January 2019 and consists of the former municipalities of Dongeradeel, Ferwerderadiel and Kollumerland en Nieuwkruisland, all three of which dissol ...

in the province of

Friesland Friesland (, ; official fry, Fryslân ), historically and traditionally known as Frisia, is a province of the Netherlands located in the country's northern part. It is situated west of Groningen, northwest of Drenthe and Overijssel, north of ...

, the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

. It had a population of around 221 in January 2017. Before 2019, the village was part of the

Dongeradeel Dongeradeel (; fy, Dongeradiel ) is a former municipality in the northern Netherlands. In 2019 it merged with the municipalities of Ferwerderadiel and Kollumerland en Nieuwkruisland to form the new municipality Noardeast-Fryslân. History Donge ...

municipality. The name of the village means 'mud hole' in

Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

and in West Frisian. Moddergat is twinned with

Peazens Peazens is a village in Noardeast-Fryslân in the province of Friesland, the Netherlands. It has a population of around 242 in January 2017. Before 2019, the village was part of the Dongeradeel municipality. There is a restored windmill in the vi ...

, and they are often referred to as "Peazens-Moddergat". In 1883, 17 of the 22 ships of Moddergat were lost at sea during a storm killing 83 fishermen. In 1958, a monument was placed on the sea dike in their honour. In 2004,

NCRV NCRV (Nederlandse Christelijke Radio Vereniging) (English: Dutch Christian Radio Association) was a public radio and television broadcaster in the Netherlands, mostly transmitting on NPO 1 and NPO 2. On 1 January 2014, NCRV merged with KRO to for ...

television organized a competition for most beautiful place in the Netherlands. Moddergat came in second after

Weerribben-Wieden National Park Weerribben-Wieden National Park (Dutch: ''Nationaal Park Weerribben-Wieden'') is a Dutch national park in the Steenwijkerland and Zwartewaterland municipalities in the Overijssel province. Comprising the largest bog of Northwestern Europe, the pa ...

History

The village was first mentioned in 1718 as Modde gat, and is supposed to mean "muddy pool". The village of

Paesens Peazens is a village in Noardeast-Fryslân in the province of Friesland, the Netherlands. It has a population of around 242 in January 2017. Before 2019, the village was part of the Dongeradeel municipality. There is a restored windmill in the vi ...

was founded first on the new

dike Dyke (UK) or dike (US) may refer to: General uses * Dyke (slang), a slang word meaning "lesbian" * Dike (geology), a subvertical sheet-like intrusion of magma or sediment * Dike (mythology), ''Dikē'', the Greek goddess of moral justice * Dikes, ...

along the

Wadden Sea The Wadden Sea ( nl, Waddenzee ; german: Wattenmeer; nds, Wattensee or ; da, Vadehavet; fy, Waadsee, longname=yes; frr, di Heef) is an intertidal zone in the southeastern part of the North Sea. It lies between the coast of northwestern conti ...

. Moddergat was founded later from Paesens, and used to consist of two hamlets: De Kamp and De Oere. The

Reformed Church Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John Cal ...

was built in 1912 with a wooden tower. In 1840, Moddergat was home to 220 people. Moddergat used to belong to the municipality of Westdongeradeel and Paesens to Oostdongeradeel. In 1983, the municipalities merged.

Activities

Museum 't Fiskershúske consists of four fishermen's houses, the oldest of which is from 1794, and gives a display of the life and history of the fishers in Moddergat. Moddergat is one of the starting points for ''wadlopen'' (

mudflat hiking Mudflat hiking ( da, Vadehavsvandring, nl, Wadlopen, West Frisian: ''Waadrinnen'', german: Wattwandern) is a recreation enjoyed in the Netherlands, northwest Germany, Denmark, England and France. Mudflat hikers are people who, with the aid of a ...

). At

low tide Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the Moon (and to a much lesser extent, the Sun) and are also caused by the Earth and Moon orbiting one another. Tide tables can ...

, it is possible to walk to the island of

Schiermonnikoog Schiermonnikoog (; fry, ) is an island, a municipality and national park in the Northern Netherlands. Schiermonnikoog is one of the West Frisian Islands, and is part of the province of Friesland. It is situated between the islands of Ameland a ...

. Mudflat hiking is potentially dangerous, and is only allowed under the supervision of a licensed guide.

Gallery

File:Boethuisje De Oere Moddergat.jpg, , place to leave the fishing nets File:Moddergat (NL) - panoramio (10).jpg, House in Moddergat File:Moddergat, monumint op seedyk.jpg, Fisher's monument File:HDR sunset.jpg, Sunset on the

References

External links

{{Authority control Noardeast-Fryslân Populated coastal places in the Netherlands Populated places in Friesland Fishing communities