{"id":54128,"date":"2026-01-26T09:00:06","date_gmt":"2026-01-26T08:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.frieslandhollandtravel.nl\/?p=54128"},"modified":"2026-01-21T15:41:01","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T14:41:01","slug":"a-hidden-gem-along-the-elfstedentocht","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.frieslandhollandtravel.nl\/en\/news\/a-hidden-gem-along-the-elfstedentocht\/","title":{"rendered":"A hidden gem along the Elfstedentocht"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-start=\"59\" data-end=\"380\">During an Elfstedentocht cycling holiday, the cities and landscapes are of course beautiful, but Friesland also hides small stories that you almost miss along the way. One of these is the sculpture <a href=\"https:\/\/www.schaatshistorie.nl\/inbeeld\/standbeelden\/de-reedrydster_kolderwolde\/\"><em data-start=\"301\" data-end=\"317\">De Reedrydster<\/em><\/a> in Kolderwolde, better known as Elfstedentocht skater Aukje.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p data-start=\"382\" data-end=\"594\"><em data-start=\"382\" data-end=\"445\">&#8220;The Aukjes show that small gestures can have a huge impact,&#8221;<\/em> says Sytze. <em data-start=\"458\" data-end=\"592\">&#8220;In her nightgown and slippers, Aukje went onto the ice to guide the skaters. She helped them navigate safely through the darkness.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p data-start=\"596\" data-end=\"616\"><strong data-start=\"596\" data-end=\"614\">Aukje in facts<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"617\" data-end=\"929\">\n<li data-start=\"617\" data-end=\"672\">\n<p data-start=\"619\" data-end=\"672\"><strong data-start=\"619\" data-end=\"645\">Name of the sculpture:<\/strong> <em data-start=\"646\" data-end=\"662\">De Reedrydster<\/em> (Aukje)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"673\" data-end=\"699\">\n<p data-start=\"675\" data-end=\"699\"><strong data-start=\"675\" data-end=\"686\">Artist:<\/strong> Van Hemert<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"700\" data-end=\"718\">\n<p data-start=\"702\" data-end=\"718\"><strong data-start=\"702\" data-end=\"711\">Year:<\/strong> 2002<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"719\" data-end=\"780\">\n<p data-start=\"721\" data-end=\"780\"><strong data-start=\"721\" data-end=\"734\">Location:<\/strong> Kolderwolde, along the Elfstedentocht route<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"781\" data-end=\"822\">\n<p data-start=\"783\" data-end=\"822\"><strong data-start=\"783\" data-end=\"795\">Part of:<\/strong> <em data-start=\"796\" data-end=\"804\">Famkes<\/em> sculpture trail<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"823\" data-end=\"929\">\n<p data-start=\"825\" data-end=\"929\"><strong data-start=\"825\" data-end=\"840\">Background:<\/strong> Inspired by the 1997 Elfstedentocht, when locals helped the first skaters in the dark.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"931\" data-end=\"1040\">This sculpture was the starting point of a series of eleven Aukje sculptures spread along the entire route.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1042\" data-end=\"1393\"><strong data-start=\"1042\" data-end=\"1074\">Why you shouldn\u2019t miss Aukje<\/strong><br data-start=\"1074\" data-end=\"1077\" \/>During the 1997 tour, Aukje, in her nightgown and slippers, went onto the ice to help skaters. This ordinary but courageous gesture inspired artist Van Hemert. By putting women like Aukje at the center, they gain a visible place in the story of the Elfstedentocht\u2014something often missing from traditional accounts.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1395\" data-end=\"1564\">Cyclists who pay attention will see that the landscape is full of small stories about ordinary people. These little moments are what make the Elfstedentocht legendary.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1566\" data-end=\"1618\"><strong data-start=\"1566\" data-end=\"1589\">Who this tip is for<\/strong><br data-start=\"1589\" data-end=\"1592\" \/>This tip is perfect for:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"1619\" data-end=\"1803\">\n<li data-start=\"1619\" data-end=\"1680\">\n<p data-start=\"1621\" data-end=\"1680\">Cyclists who want to discover Friesland at their own pace<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1681\" data-end=\"1749\">\n<p data-start=\"1683\" data-end=\"1749\">Culture and history enthusiasts who want to look a little deeper<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1750\" data-end=\"1803\">\n<p data-start=\"1752\" data-end=\"1803\">Anyone who loves quiet, hidden places and stories<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"1805\" data-end=\"1959\">This tip is less relevant for those purely focused on covering the kilometers or only seeking crowds and the large starting moments of the skating tour.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1961\" data-end=\"2223\"><strong data-start=\"1961\" data-end=\"2005\">Practical information: How to find Aukje<\/strong><br data-start=\"2005\" data-end=\"2008\" \/>On the interactive map <em data-start=\"2031\" data-end=\"2048\">Fytse mei Sytze<\/em>, you can find all the Aukje sculptures, making them easy to discover during your tour.<br data-start=\"2135\" data-end=\"2138\" \/>On a self-guided Elfstedentocht cycling holiday, it\u2019s easy to plan a stop at Aukje.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2225\" data-end=\"2517\"><strong data-start=\"2225\" data-end=\"2262\">The Elfstedentocht in perspective<\/strong><br data-start=\"2262\" data-end=\"2265\" \/>The Elfstedentocht is often about cold, speed, and victory, but with the Aukje sculptures, you experience a different perspective: engagement, community, and small heroes. For cyclists along the route, this brings Friesland to life in a personal way.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2519\" data-end=\"2915\">The Elfstedentocht is special because of all the personal stories. Aukje\u2019s small, brave gesture (going onto the ice in her nightgown and slippers) shows how big a small moment can be. Without her, the skaters would have had a much harder time, and as a cyclist, you feel that along the route, you are not just seeing cities and lakes, but a landscape full of stories, literally along the water.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2917\" data-end=\"3213\"><strong data-start=\"2917\" data-end=\"2944\">Insider tips from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.frieslandhollandtravel.nl\/en\/customer-service\/\">Sytze<\/a><\/strong><br data-start=\"2944\" data-end=\"2947\" \/>As the owner of Friesland Holland Travel, I guide guests along the Elfstedentocht by bike every year. I love sharing this tip about Aukje because it adds an authentic experience to your cycling holiday. This way, you discover Friesland in a way most visitors miss.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3215\" data-end=\"3367\">Plan your own Elfstedentocht cycling holiday and be surprised by the small stories: from Aukje to bridges, villages, and hidden views along the water.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3369\" data-end=\"3440\">\ud83c\udf10 <a class=\"decorated-link cursor-pointer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.frieslandhollandtravel.nl\/en\/customer-service\/\" target=\"_new\" rel=\"noopener\" data-start=\"3372\" data-end=\"3401\">www.frieslandhollandtravel.nl<\/a><br data-start=\"3401\" data-end=\"3404\" \/>\u2709\ufe0f <a class=\"decorated-link cursor-pointer\" rel=\"noopener\" data-start=\"3407\" data-end=\"3438\">info@frieslandhollandtravel.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>During an Elfstedentocht cycling holiday, the cities and landscapes are of course beautiful, but Friesland also hides small stories that you almost miss along the way. One of these is the sculpture De Reedrydster in Kolderwolde, better known as Elfstedentocht skater Aukje. &#8220;The Aukjes show that small gestures can have a huge impact,&#8221; says Sytze.&hellip; <a class=\"continue\" href=\"https:\/\/www.frieslandhollandtravel.nl\/en\/news\/a-hidden-gem-along-the-elfstedentocht\/\">Lees meer<span> A hidden gem along the Elfstedentocht<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":54120,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[140],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-54128","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.frieslandhollandtravel.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54128","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.frieslandhollandtravel.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.frieslandhollandtravel.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.frieslandhollandtravel.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.frieslandhollandtravel.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54128"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.frieslandhollandtravel.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54128\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.frieslandhollandtravel.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/54120"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.frieslandhollandtravel.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54128"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.frieslandhollandtravel.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54128"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.frieslandhollandtravel.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54128"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}