Scenic cycling routes in Flanders

By Malin Norman

Westhoek in Flanders is a fantastic destination for cycling. Numerous well-mapped routes await, for instance the Western Front Route 14-18 and the Hoppeland Cycling Route – with historic sites, and some beer discoveries along the way.

The landscape around Flanders Fields is increasingly popular for cyclists, with around 3,000 kilometres of bike-friendly roads. Well-marked cycling routes connect World War I battlefields, cemeteries, and memorials, making cycling a reflective way to explore its history.

There is a series of specially mapped cycling routes in Flanders. The 14-18 Western Front Route is one of them, a 100 kilometre route leading you through the stories of the Great War – this is where nature and history merge.

Photo: Bar Bernard

The scenic Western Front Route 14-18

One sight you surely will not miss is the Yser Tower in Diksmuide, which stands out on the horizon in the flat landscape of Westhoek. A memorial to the Flemish soldiers who lost their lives during WWI, this is Europe’s tallest peace monument at 84 metres. Here, the Museum of the Yser awaits, telling the story of the Belgian-German front during WWI.

Another not-to-be-missed destination is the King Albert I monument in Nieuwpoort. It was here at the Ganzepoot sluice complex that the course of World War I was determined. The monument is 25 metres high, circular and 30 metres in diameter. You can walk all the way to the top, for beautiful views. Below the monument, the Westfront visitors’ centre tells the whole story.

Tyne Cot Cemetery is the largest Commonwealth cemetery on mainland Europe, a silent witness to the 1917 Battle of Passchendaele. Almost 12,000 soldiers’ graves can be found here, along with 35,000 names of soldiers without a grave that are inscribed on the walls of the Tyne Cot Memorial.

Also make sure to visit the Menin Gate in Ypres. The gate was built by the British in 1927 for the approximately 54,900 British soldiers killed in World War I who were never identified or found. Every evening since 1928, the buglers of the Last Post Association sound out the ‘Last Post’ in a moving commemoration.

Photo: www.toerismewesthoek.be

Hoppeland, Hop Museum and Bar Barnard

The Hoppeland Cycle Route centres around the northwest of Poperinge, also known as Hoppeland (Hop Country). Starting at Grand Place in Poperinge, the 53.4 kilometre route passes war sites, hop fields and breweries, with stunning views.

Make sure to pay a visit to the hop museum in Poperinge, which is located in the old ‘Stadsschaal’ or Municipal Scales. The museum’s four floors present the history and culture of hops, including the four seasons of hops, historic documents and photographs, and illustrations of the unique building and local hop growing. On the ground floor, you can see an impressive Belgian beer collection with more than 2,500 beers.

Another place to visit is Bar Bernard, the showpiece of Brewery St. Bernardus in Watou, first opened in 2018. With a roof terrace located above the premises, offering 360-degree views of the hop fields, the café and restaurant is a must for thirsty explorers. Take the opportunity to join a brewery tour of St. Bernardus, which finishes at Bar Bernard. Enjoy fabulous beers in a splendid setting!