Plassendale - Nieuwpoort Canal (22 km)

This canal runs parallel to the coast, in effect recreating Testrep Island that 1,000 years ago stretched from Westende through Middelkerke to Oostende. During Roman times, Oudenburg at the east end of the canal was a seaside fortress. The canal was originally built in 1543 (article in Het Nieuwsblat, 23 Jul 1999).

The canal runs through flat farmland that is being increasingly being developed for both industry and housing. Contrary to the GeoCart map, the road on the south side of the canal is a narrow highway with moderate traffic and in most places no provision for either pedestrians or cycles. You want the north bank service road - except for the last few km to the west, where the towpath is not paved. There are kilometer markers, blue signs on the north bank. There is very little commercial barge traffic but you may see pleasure boats on their way to/from the yacht harbors at Nieuwpoort.

From the Plassandale junction with the Brugge - Oostende canal, you have about 1 km of urban riding. There are three bridges, and another under construction (Dec 1998) that requires a short detour that can be muddy. From the A10 bridge you are in the country, but with such frequent buildings that you can call it exurbia. Occasional cars use the service road to reach canal-side houses. The water must be fairly polluted, as very few seabirds use it.

About KM 7 the marked bicycle route (LF 1) and service road turn slightly away from the canal. You can continue on a fairly new hard gravel towpath, but it ends in a km - the towpath becomes a muddy track. The service road runs slightly inland from the canal, and has a major lumberyard and a landfill. Both generate heavy truck traffic on working days. Hopefully the gravel towpath will be extended the kilometer to where the service road is again along the canal.

Just west of the point where the service road leaves the canal is a pedestrian bridge. This is the route 62 rail trail, which runs 17 km from Oostende (in an industrial zone) to Torhout.

To avoid the lumberyard, ride the gravel towpath for about 800 m to where there is a bridge cross the drainage canal to the service road. Cross to the service road and continue west for 1.5 km to the N33 highway. Cross turn south on the bike lane to the side road that runs beside the ramp to the canal bridge. Follow the side road back to the canal. You are at KM 9 and the Snaaskerkebrug. (Dec 1998)

From the bridge you have very good pavement along the north bank. The first bridge, and village of any size, is 2.4 km, Leffinge. The town and everything else from here to Nieuwpoort was heavily damaged or destroyed during the First World War. The church dates from the late 1870's, and if you detour to it you can seen the numerous repairs made to war damage. (It was undergoing another major refurbishment in January 1999.)

3 1/2 km further you reach Slijpebrug, at about KM 14.8. There is a pub on the south side - and you have to make a decision. You can cross and ride the final 7 km on a narrow highway with moderate traffic. Or you can stay on the north bank, which presents another decision. After another 900 m (at about KM 15.7) the service road leaves the dike. The way ahead is soft dirt or, if wet, mud. You can follow it for near 6 km until there is again pavement, but I suggest you follow the LF 1 cycle route signs instead. That route follows farm roads with little traffic for over 5 km before you regain the canal. 700 m further west is the end of the canal at the Nieuwpoort Goose Foot. (Jan 1999) (reviewed by Jan Steyaert June 2003

Last updated 7 September 2003

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