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Country walks

The hills are alive: La-Roche-en-Ardenne

Choosing where to walk in the Ardennes is not easy; there are so many wonderful areas to explore. But if you have never been to the Ardennes before, I would recommend La Roche-en-Ardenne. It’s an excellent place to start getting acquainted with this marvellous area of Belgium.

La Roche-en-Ardenne

One advantage of this location is that if you set off from Brussels in gorgeous weather and arrive in La Roche to find it pelting down with rain (which in the Ardennes is quite possible), then you can simply change your plan and visit one or more of the town’s museums: the Milling Museum, the Second World War Museum, the Pottery Museum, or even the Ardennes Ham Museum. The town also has a castle with a ghost, which conveniently appears every evening through the summer (although apparently not if it’s raining).Read More »The hills are alive: La-Roche-en-Ardenne

Heidebos near Moerbeke

Between the villages of Moerbeke and Wachtebeke, a few kilometres to the east of Sint-Niklaas, lies the Heidebos, a large nature reserve incorporating deciduous and coniferous forests as well as a vast expanse of heath land. Three signposted walks start from the car park on Fortstraat; all are ideal for young children.Read More »Heidebos near Moerbeke

Saeftinghe

The Drowned Land of Saeftinghe

Saeftinghe is not to be explored without a guide, but can be viewed from its perimeter, which offers a lovely walk

First, a word of caution. If you are looking for a gentle Sunday afternoon stroll in a pretty park with a conveniently located waffle-van, then the Verdronken (Drowned) Land of Saeftinghe near Antwerp isn’t for you. It’s muddy, it’s exposed, and there’s no waffle-van for kilometres. But if you are looking for a huge dose of fresh sea air, some peace and solitude, and a touch of wilderness, then it’s definitely worth a visit.

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Breskens (NL) and its lighthouse

Someone asked me recently if I could recommend a walk along a coastal path in Belgium that is free from high-rise apartments and amusement arcades. I began to explain how Breskens fits the bill perfectly — and then realised to my embarrassment that Breskens is actually in The Netherlands, not Belgium. It’s an easy mistake to make if, like me, you forget that the stretch of “Belgium” along the southern bank of the River Schelde is actually part of The Netherlands. Anyway, as it’s so close to Belgium, it’s worth including in Discovering Belgium! So travel to Breskens, park in or nearby the Breskens-Vlissingen ferry terminal, and Go West!

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