Willebroek Canal: Brussels - Wintam (37 km)

Brussels Sainctelette - Burnt Bridge (about 15 km). Sainctelette Square is chosen as a starting point because of its historical significance. At this point the Willebroek canal (authorized 1477, opened 1561) turned SE into the former city docks (St Catherine - dug 1565, filled 1870). Just north of here was the first passenger railway station in continental Europe, on the 1835 Brussels - Mechelen line. To the north of the bridge is the Willebroek (now called Brussels - Schelde) canal, while to the south is the Brussels-Charleroi canal (19th century).

This was and is a major industrial zone, with various factories and commercial activities on one or both sides until north of Vilvoorde (about 13 km), and then in the Willebroek area. On this section there are no quiet country paths but mostly riding along or on roads. What you see varies from a 19th century transportation center (Turn & Taxis) now being redeveloped, to an abandoned coke works, to a recently abandoned Renault car factory, to one of the country's largest power plants, to various marinas for pleasure craft. While many of the industries no longer use the canal, some do. And you don't see just barges, but also (north of Laken) ships of up to 10,000 tons. And wonderful lift bridges which mean that there is effectively no height limit for vessels. The Port of Brussels reports about 15,000 ship and barge movements a year. 7.7 million tons of freight were reportedly carried on the canal in 1997. (By comparison: Belgian railways handle about 60 million tons a year.) The primary cargoes are petroleum products and construction materials, with lesser tonnages of chemicals, fertilizers, grains and ore.

From Sainctelette, go east one block on the boulevard to Ijzer and then turn left on the bike path (I prefer the left side, despite the signs) on the sidewalk along Willebroeklaan. At the second light, cross to the right and follow the side access road to the third light (tram line). Cross the bridge (carefully!) on the south side and cross the road to the north side where you pick up a bike path on the right sidewalk. At the next intersection continue on the right until you have passed the Esso station (follow the road, to the left side of the station) and then cross the road on the marked crossing to the west side and follow the bike path north.

Just after you cross the line from Brussels to Vlaams Brabant, the path switches to the right side of the road. Past the Vilvoorde lift bridge, the path ends and you ride on the road. There is little traffic. Past the power plant and branch canal on the east side, you reach the Burnt Bridge (Verbrande Brug). (The name is over 400 years old. When the canal was built, a bridge was built here. Shortly after the canal opened, the religious wars started. Spanish forces burnt the bridge.) The Sea Canal authority is presently studying building a high level bridge to eliminate traffic disruption due to ship movements.

Burnt Bridge - Wintam lock (22 k). From this point you can ride either side of the canal as it arrows north, mostly through farmland with some woods and nature preserve. However, on the east bank most of the route is on narrow road with at times a bumpy bike path along side. The west side is much better.

Staying on the west side, about 350 m after Burnt Bridge the paved road ends. The dirt road on the dike is blocked for cars, and is fine riding. You are back on pavement in 2.8 km for less than 1 km of riding on a road with little traffic through Humbeek. Then there is a short section (about 30 m) that will be mud when wet and then 1.3 km of smooth hard packed. When you reach pavement again there is a fine bike path beside the road for 1.7 km. As you approach Kapelle-op-den-Bos you are forced to turn off the embankment. Follow the street 400 m to an intersection, then right for 800 m until you pass under a rail line. Cross the street at the light and turn right on the sidewalk and follow the street back to the canal - 300 m. (A block up the canal road there are a couple of pubs, if you are in the need of refreshment.) From here you have a good ride, mostly on smoothly paved bike path, for 5.5 km to the Willebroek bridge.

By the bridge is a nice pub, den Arend. They serve Moortgat Bel pils on tap, and the Maredsous abbey beer.

Continue on the west bank past a railway bridge and the first split in the canal (on the east bank) to the next bridge - or rather pair of bridges. Most of this nearly 3 km is on road, but the traffic is not too bad. Cross the bridge in use and immediately turn left, by the recycling company. This road runs through mixed industry and nature, with little traffic. After 3.8 km you reach the lock where the middle branch of the Willebroek canal joins the Rupel. Cross over a lock gate and turn right. This area truly deserves to be kept as it is, a nature preserve. In 3 km you reach the new (1997) Wintam lock. (Note Sep 1998: the northern part of the loop to Wintam lock is closed as the dike is rebuilt. You can get around the south side of the lagoon in the new island.) Cross over whichever gate is closed at the moment, then go right on the pink brick road (soon becoming asphalt) 500 m to the Schelde. (Mar, Sep 98)

Schelde right bank : Wintam - Temse - Dendermonde (27 km)

You now enter a truly delightful stretch of riding, 7 km of nature to the Temse bridge. The road on the dike is perfect, with no motor vehicles except the occasional service type. On the river side is a nature preserve, on the land side a polder tree farm most of the way. About midway you come to an interesting "hunting pavilion," now museum of Schelde life. By it are interpretation centers for wildlife and tree farming, and along the dike are poems about the river. Less than 2 km later there is a pub, open Friday - Tuesday, 14:00 - 20:00.

If you want to take a break, cross the Temse bridge and cut back to the river front. There are a few pubs and restaurants with views of the river. Paling (eel) is a local specialty. Be warned that none of them know what a light snack is - even a croque monsieur is a major meal that starts with homemade bread. If you only want a snack, find a bakery and have a sausage roll.

Alternately, you could make a loop by turning SE on the bike path along the N16 highway to the Willebroek canal and back to Boom. (You pass a McDonald's that was burnt by arsonists in September, 1998, along the way.) The total length of the loop is about 37 km. The highway has fairly heavy traffic.

Otherwise, continue upstream on the right (south and east) bank. This is one of the prettiest sections of the river , with lots of nature preserves. Just past the Temse bridge is a pub, 'T Sas. It is named for an old lock (the gates are still there, on either side of the old road just east of the pub) that apparently connected the current channel of the Schelde with an older channel that loops to the south from here. The lock was presumably cut off from the river when the dike was raised after the 1953 floods.

Later there are two waterfront pubs in Mariekerke, and a nice one at about Lavendries that provides a view of the river from the bar. Shortly thereafter you have to leave the dike for less than one km - ride the bike path along the N17. You then turn with the river towards Baasrode and cross a railway with a station (Baasrode north) and yard for a preserved steam railway.

In Baasrode itself some industry keeps you away from the canal for a bit - follow the signs for the Ros Beiaard cycle route. After Baasrode you have a nice paved dike road to the Dendermonde bridge.

Schelde: Dendermonde - Melle bridge (31.5 km)

From the Dendermonde road/rail bridge to the Schoonaarde bridge, neither bank offers continuous running on the dike, and both include some riding along and on roads. The south bank is probably the better of the two. Continue along the right (south) bank of the Schelde. Past the town of Dendermonde (well worth a visit) you reach the new canal which now connects the Dender river with the Schelde. (The old course of the river flows along the north side of the town.) You have to turn off the Schelde to the lock at the mouth of the new Dender. Here you can take the pedestrian bridge over the south end of the lock, or make a detour of about 4 km south to the first road bridge and back. If you do the latter, you have a couple of km of road riding.

From the west side of the lock you have about 400 m of road riding back to the Schelde, and then a paved path on the dike as you continue westerly. After about 6 km that path ends - dead-end sign on the dike as you approach a highway and the boundary of Oudegem. Take the paved path down to the path along the highway. After about 2 km that path ends and you have to ride on the highway for 1/2 km to the junction in Schoonaarde. Turn right (north) on the bike path along the road and cross the bridge. At the north end of the bridge, cross the road and go down the stairs to the towpath.

From Schoonaarde to Gent you use the north (left) bank of the Schelde, following the LF 5 bike route most of the way. The north bank is essentially all farmland with some woods. The south bank is more developed. From the Uitbergen bridge to Schellebelle there are 2.7 k of unpaved but hard packed gravel road. Not bad for riding. At Schellebelle you find something unusual on the waterways: a pub where you can see the water while you enjoy a beer. And here there are in fact two: De Schelde and Scheldries. The former also runs a small ferry (3 meter skiff with outboard motor) across the river.

Further along, notice the extremely tall church at Wetteren. You then reach a footbridge and have to briefly ride the sidewalk by the road. A couple of km further you pass a large industrial building across the river - with the body and wings of a commercial airplane next to it!

The next bridge you reach is at Melle. (Dec 97, Jan 98)

Old Schelde : Melle to central Gent (10 km)

At Melle the river splits. The original Schelde continues roughly NW into central Gent before making a U-turn and heading SW. That section is now closed to commercial barge traffic. Riding westerly from the Melle bridge on the north side of the Schelde, the first 3 km are in need of repaving but ridable. The next 4 km are good path, and then you reach the city limits and a section of street riding. (This can be fairly busy during rush hours.) After a little over 1 km of that you reach a lock. Cross the lock gate and then a narrow bridge, and turn right along the street on the south side of the river. Shortly the river splits again. The street follows the original Schelde. One km after the lock you reach a major road (Zuidparklaan) with an elevated highway in the middle.

Cross the tram tracks and turn north on the bridge across the Schelde. Cross the next street and then turn left. (Stay on the main road - taking the next left along the river will lead you to a dead end.) In 500 m you reach the bridge over the Muinkschelde canal - Ter Platenbrug.

To go to central Gent, turn right before the canal bridge. In about 200 m you pass a canal barge pub - the Kaffee de Planck. They serve St Louis kriek on tap, and have a wonderful pizza baguette. About 600 m later you reach a bridge with a large square to the right. Turn left across that bridge, right at the first intersection, and follow the road as straight as you can to the pedestrian zone and the Belfry (less than 1 km). (The Tourist Office is in the Belfry. You can obtain the Mobiliteitsplan showing bike routes there.)

Last modified June 1999

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