Weekend nature in Flanders: discover the valley of the Escaut

Created in 2023, the Escaut Valley Natural Park stretches along the Escaut between Antwerp and Ghent. It is formed by numerous nature reserves and wetlands, while being affected by tides.

We start our weekend in Flanders with a visit to the Hemelse Rij nature reserve. Equipped with our rubber boots and accompanied by Dirk, representing the reserve's association (DURME), and Tijs from Tondel Bushcraft, we set off on an adventure in the marshes of this nature reserve. As the mowing is done later in the year, the paths are overgrown and our progress is slow.

We learn more about the fauna and flora around us and which play a major role in the balance of our ecosystem. Tijs introduces us to wild foraging and we collect some leaves and flowers that will accompany our lunch. Besides, we'll give you a few recipe ideas with these unusual ingredients a little further down.

If you also want to discover the Hemelse Rij nature reserve, the association regularly organizes guided hikes. You can find their next activities here: https://www.vzwdurme.be/activiteiten

After our adventures in the Hemelse Rij nature reserve, we arrive at Tijs' HQ, Tondel Brushcraft, for a bushcraft introduction. On the program, lighting a wood fire (we felt a bit like adventurers in Koh Lanta) and cooking class with our morning harvest.

On the menu: nettle and plantain seed pesto, wood-fired flatbread, Panzanella with tomatoes and Berloumi (our favorite) and to finish a banana stuffed over the campfire. Really, we didn't expect to eat so well with so few utensils and comfort!

A big thank you to Tijs for his kindness and this wonderful moment of exchange in the heart of his small, wild Belgian paradise.

Flanders is a cyclist's paradise, with adapted infrastructure including 2000 km of cycle paths. So, we agree that a weekend in this region of Belgium must include a bike ride?

From our side, we did a 40 km circuit, starting from Bornem, along the banks of the Scheldt. A gentle way to discover the region and to stop as we please.

We've included the detailed itinerary in the practical information below. 👇

5 minutes after getting on our bikes, we are already at our first stop: the Saint Bernard Abbey of Bornem. This Cistercian monastery was created in 1833 and for just over 10 years has belonged to the town of Bornem. We spent the first part of the visit learning more about the history of the place, the second part is devoted to visiting the library. A unique place in Belgium which contains more than 30,000 books, some of which date back to the 14th century. We were lucky enough to browse the register with our guide Pia who knows some juicy anecdotes about the place.

In short, Bornem Abbey is a gentle mix of art, history, and architecture. A true Belgian gem that is still too little known. Our advice? Go discover it before it becomes too famous ☺️

The visit to the Émile Verhaeren museum is our second stop on this bike ride in the Scheldt valley. Émile Verhaeren is a French-speaking Belgian poet born in 1916 near Antwerp. The museum located in Saint-Amand, the poet's birthplace, is visited quite quickly.

Of course, after all these efforts and a morning full of visits, we went to regain strength at Den Amandus. A modern brasserie along the Scheldt, and on the route of our bike ride. Estelle was tempted by the famous mussels/fries, as for Romain, he opted for an American with fries. We loved the setting of the establishment and the food was excellent and of quality!

We spend the afternoon on the rest of the loop, following the nodes along the water. The added bonus, some atypical passages where we are led to cross the Scheldt. Free ferries cross the Scheldt every 30 minutes, one of the three rivers in Belgium. A moment where time stands still, where we enjoy taking a break and observing the nature around us.

This last day in Flanders begins with the meeting of Dirk, our guide, whom we find at the Lopifit rental point. So, you may be wondering what is a lopifit? It is a mix between a scooter, a bike, and a treadmill. Thus, allowing us not to have the discomfort of a bicycle saddle, and being able to move faster (±25 km/h) than on foot.

It was truly an unusual experience to travel by Lopifit, but we weren't won over by this mode of transport, too heavy and less easy to handle than a bike to our liking.

On our itinerary, we come across this magnificent steel structure "Arcade". This is the work of Gijs Van Vaerenbergh, the same artist who made the unmissable Reading between the lines church in Tongeren-Borgloon.

Straight out of a fairytale, the Wissekerke Castle is a Belgian must-see for a weekend in the Scheldt Valley. We left our Lopifit at the entrance before discovering the interior, renovated in 2022. By pushing the doors of this castle, you will have the impression that time has stopped and feel like a viscount/viscountess for the duration of the visit.

The Rupelmonde tide mill is a historical medieval building. It is the last mill of this type still in operation today. Tide mills are actually water mills that use the phenomenon of tides to function.

We had the chance to see the mill in operation, a unique and emotional moment to observe the last tide mill in action. An incredible ingenuity to activate all these gears only by the force of water. A big thank you to Jo the Miller for this magnificent demonstration of local artisanal know-how.

Did you know that you could observe waterfalls more than 5 meters high on the Scheldt? Well, these are not natural but play a crucial role in the ecosystem of the polders of Kruibeke. The Scheldt waterfalls are ephemeral, only a few hours a day, when the tide reaches its maximum height. We arrived 45 minutes before high tide and we were able to see the Scheldt waterfalls start to work, we were mesmerized for a moment.

Our accommodations during this weekend in the Scheldt valley were a real surprise. We were lucky enough to discover unusual, very atypical accommodations. Unique discoveries that immerse us in the heart of the Scheldt Valley Natural Park.

We spent our first night on the water at Vlotje Kamperen, in the municipality of Berlare. The experience begins as soon as we arrive. We independently collect our equipment for the accommodation as well as our canoe to reach our location on the Donk lake. And yes, tonight we are sleeping on the water, rather atypical as accommodation, isn't it ?!