Grou

Grou (Grouw) is a town in Boarnsterhim in the province Friesland of the Netherlands and has around 5737 citizens (2007).

The town is located on the Pikmeer lake and the Prinses Margrietkanaal. Heineken operated a distribution centre for Friesland in Grou for 25 years until 2004.

It used to be the capital of municipality of Idaarderadeel before the reorganization of municipalities in 1984. Grou celebrates Sint Piter as a holiday on February 22, which differs from most of the Netherlands.

A nickname for the town is Tsiisferdûnsers, meaning cheese dancers, from a story where a fiddler was paid with cheese at a village dance.

Transport
The town is located at an exit on the A32. There is a ferry across the canal called Veerpont de Burd that connects the de Burd island. The Grou-Jirnsum railway station is on the Staatslijn A (Arnhem - Leeuwarden) line.

Notable births

 * Joast Halbertsma poet
 * Eeltsje Hiddes Halbertsma (1797-1858), doctor and writer
 * Pibo Ovittius van Abbema (ca. 1542-1618), clergyman
 * Atje Keulen-Deelstra (1938), skater
 * Haitske Valentijn (1954), skater
 * Catherinus Smeding painter

Sport
An artificial ice rink (Glice) invented by Eric Sinnema was opened for public use in 2007.



Notable buildings

 * The Protestant church of Grou
 * Three restored windmills survive in Grou, De Bird, De Borgmolen and De Haensmolen.