Kleurige huisjes Zoutkamp
At the end of Reitdiepskade are beautifully coloured cottages. You almost imagine yourself in Scandinavia. The warehouses house a shellfish trade and shrimp auction, and unloading still takes place on the Reitdiepskade. Along the Reitsdiepskade runs the old outer dike. This runs all the way to the city.
Take a closer look
At one time, Zoutkamp was the 'gateway' to Groningen. For ships, the passage through the Lauwerszee was the only route from the sea to get to the city of Groningen.
Until 1960, Zoutkamp had a major fishing harbour, but when the Lauwerszee was closed off, the village lost this important status. The village still retains the charm of an old-fashioned fishing village, thanks to its historic locks and the old inner harbour, which is still in frequent use. The name Zoutkamp (Soltcampum) was first used in 1418. It is highly likely that salt was once extracted in this area: ‘sol’ (sel) meant salt and the word ‘kamp’ was used to refer to a fenced-off piece of land.