Groningen, Netherlands

Dec · 45% rideable

Schildmeer

What it's actually like

Compiled by WindChaser, 27 September 2026

The Schildmeer is a lake near Steendam in the province of Groningen, with a surf beach on Roegeweg. Visit Groningen, the provincial tourist board, calls it a perfect surfing beach, thanks to a spacious car park, a wide grassy access area and a sheltered location, and suits it to wing foilers, wind foilers and windsurfers with fins. Surfcenter Experience sits right beside the beach.

November to February are the windiest months in the record, and even then it is about one day in two at best. November and January clear 12 knots for three daylight hours on just under half of their days, December on more than four in ten and February on four in ten. March to September sit between about one day in seven and three in ten. The mean over those rideable hours is 15 to 17 knots. In December and January the share of windy days holds through the day; in spring and summer it builds into the afternoon, from under one in ten at 8am in April to about a quarter by mid-afternoon. This is an inland lake: pick your days and it can still deliver a proper winter sesh.

Groningen Airport Eelde is about 34 km by road, around 37 minutes, and Groningen station about 31 km.

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Your month

When it's good

December · 45%. 14 rideable days in 31, 4.6 hours a day over 12 kt. Bring a book.

Where else it blows in December

At a glance

Is it for you?

Skill levelComfortable

WaterMillpond

Wind · DecHit and miss

Crowds · DecBusy patches

Local vibeFriendly enough

Water qualityUsually clean

NightlifeA bar or two

CostMid

Geek analysis

December in the record

45% of days clear 12 kt for three daylight hours or more.

In December the wind most often sits at 8 to 11 kt (30% of daylight hours). No daylight hour is over 12 kt on at least half the days. The best hours are 12pm to 1pm, each on 37% of days. See both charts in the full report

No weather station near enough to check these figures against.

December on the record

The month's own figures, not the year's average.

Rideable days14 of 31Four Decembers in the record

Wind, rideable hours16 ktMean over daylight hours at 12 kt+

Air5.7°CMaximum

Take it with you

The full Schildmeer report

Seven sections over six pages, built from the same record as this page. A PDF you can read on the plane.

01Hour-by-hour & month-by-month wind02The month's own records03Stays, the school & kit04Launch notes05Lake rules, the fairway & shallow water06Getting there, packing & best months07Sources, and their limits

When it gets busy

Crowds

WindChaser has no crowd count for the Schildmeer yet. The Surfcenter teaches on the lake on Friday evenings and Saturdays from April to October.

On the water

What December usually does

Wind directionW to NWest, north-west and north, per spot guides, for the beach in the lake's south-east corner. Not from the record.

Wind strength15 to 17 ktThe mean over rideable daylight hours, November to February, in the record.

When it blowsMidday onThe share of windy days rises through the morning in November and into the afternoon in February, and holds through the day in December and January.

Your playground

Launches & safety

Conditions change. Check local rules and conditions before you ride.

Launch
Hazard
Parking
School
Stay
Webcam
Approximate

Local intel

Getting there & on the ground

Nearest airportGroningen Eelde (GRQ)About 34 km by road, around 37 minutes.

On the groundNovember to FebruaryThe windiest months in the record, at about one day in two at best.

Getting aroundBy roadGroningen station is about 31 km by road. A spacious car park at the surf beach.

Stay, schools & kit

Who works this beach

© SurfcenterSurfcenter ExperienceSchoolGoogle MapsWindsurf · WingWindsurf, wing and SUP lessons beside the surf beach, from age 14. Nico Prien, the windsurfer, co-owns the Surfcenter and co-founded Surfcenter Experience.Website

All 3 stays near Schildmeer on one page

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