sea

The Drowned Land of Saeftinghe

November 21, 2010August 26, 2020

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.

Breskens (NL) and its lighthouse

September 1, 2010August 26, 2020

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!