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Frisian Handball Cycle Route

(78.9 km)

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Everyone in the Netherlands is familiar with the phrase ‘It giet oan!’, ‘The game is on!’ It announces the start of a game of Frisian handball, known in Friesland as ‘kaatsen’.

‘Kaatsen’ is a collective term for ball games in which the players try to hit the ball with the palm of their hands in such a way that it cannot be kept in play by the opposing team.

Frisian handball is one of the oldest ball games still played. The different variants can be roughly divided into games played on a court, games played in a square, such as pelota as it is played in Friesland and Belgium, and ball games played against a wall (one-wall handball).

Frisian handball is play…

Everyone in the Netherlands is familiar with the phrase ‘It giet oan!’, ‘The game is on!’ It announces the start of a game of Frisian handball, known in Friesland as ‘kaatsen’.

‘Kaatsen’ is a collective term for ball games in which the players try to hit the ball with the palm of their hands in such a way that it cannot be kept in play by the opposing team.

Frisian handball is played on grass by two teams, with three players in each team. Handball is most popular in the Frisian clay area: the triangle between Leeuwarden, Franeker and Harlingen.

This cycle route takes you past handball courts and handball walls in the main villages and towns where handball is played.

To find out more about Frisian handball, visit the Kaatsmuseum, a museum entirely devoted to Frisian handball. You can even experience a proper handball clinic!