Holiday apartment in Termunterzijl: Coast, History and Nature

Termunterzijl brings together water, history and coastal landscapes in a compact area. Termunterzijl is situated on the Eems-Dollard and is part of the Wadden Sea World Heritage Site. At the same time, the village has officially been designated as a protected village landscape.

Water Management and Fishing History

At the Visserijmuseum Termunterzijl, the permanent exhibition explores Termunterzijl’s role in water drainage involving water boards, sluices and pumping stations. Another focus is Termunterzijl’s role as a centre of the shrimp-fishing industry, including fishing, drying facilities and home peeling.

The history of water management includes the Boog van Ziel lock. It was built around 1725 by Groningen’s municipal architect, Antoni Verburgh, to replace an older lock. This earlier structure had been built in 1601 and destroyed during the Sint-Maartensflood of 1686. The Cremer pumping-station museum also refers to this tradition: water-management engineer Pieter Geert Cremer built it in 1930/1931. Because of its prominent position in the village landscape, its cultural and historical value, its good state of preservation and its distinctive design, it has been recognised as a Rijksmonument.

Wadden Sea, Beach and Nature

A distinctive feature of the village is the narrow brick-paved road along the Termunterzijldiep. Houses stand along this road; it is not accessible to cars. The coastal landscape also includes a small beach.

East of Termunterzijl lies the Punt van Reide nature reserve. It provides a habitat for numerous migratory birds and serves as a natural resting place for seals. Punt van Reide is not freely accessible; however, the areas on both sides of the headland offer opportunities to explore nature. The Rozema pumping station at A.Verburghwijk 2, 9948 PE Termunterzijl, has a fish passage that supports the upstream migration of fish from the Wadden Sea. As part of its educational programmes, the Hunze en Aa's water board offers visits to the Rozema pumping station.

Hiking, Cycling and Panoramic Views

A hiking route of approximately 13.6 kilometres leads from Termunterzijl to Punt van Reide. It is marked with Waddenwandelen waymarkers. For cyclists, the Dollardroute runs from Nieuwe Statenzijl to Termunterzijl and then continues towards Winschoten. This allows different day lengths and modes of transport to be incorporated into the planning without losing sight of the distinctive features of the landscape.

A prominent viewpoint is the De Golf van Termunterzijl tower. From its summit, visitors can see the De Dollard nature reserve and Germany on one side, and Termunterzijl and Termunten on the other. This view connects the open landscape with the neighbouring villages and makes the spatial relationships of the surrounding area immediately apparent.

Shrimp and Fish Dishes

Termunterzijl’s culinary scene also remains connected to its coastal and fishing history. Vispaleis Westerhuis regularly holds shrimp-peeling demonstrations in Termunterzijl. Local restaurants with cosy terraces and excellent fish dishes complete the offering.

Other Places in the Region

For your further regional selection, you can also consider Wagenborgen, Termunten and Delfzijl.

Back to the main travel overview: Delfzijl.