To Zottegem and Geraardsbergen

With this route you will discover the beautiful nature and culture of the Flemish Ardennes between Zottegem and Geraardsbergen. First of all, today you will discover Zottegem, the gateway to the Flemish Ardennes, at the foot of the rolling hills. It is known as Egmontstad: Lamoraal van Egmont is buried in the crypt under the church. Two statues, a castle, two beautiful paintings and a dozen signs are reminders of the unfortunate 16th-century count. Worth a look inside, just like the archaeological museum: in the PAMZOV you can learn everything about how people lived in rural Flanders in prehistory, the Gallo-Roman era and the early Middle Ages. Further on you will see another beautiful spot: the castle of Leeuwergem. It has a rich history behind it and is considered a national heritage site. Leeuwergem Castle is a walled castle on the territory of Elene, a sub-municipality of Zottegem. It is one of the most interesting and authentic Rococo buildings in the province of East Flanders. At the end of a one-kilometre-long lane, the almost quadrangular castle, balanced in line and shape, is set amid flowerbeds, on an elevated piece of land surrounded by water. The elegance is imparted both inside and out by its Louis XV style. Rocaille decorations, shell motifs and curved lines are predominant here. A small charming chapel on the first floor, dedicated to the 4 evangelists, is still in its original state as on the day of his consecration in 1764. Soon you will spot the second castle along this route: Kasteel Breivelde. The castle is currently being given a new look, but the restaurant remains open if you want to take a look inside. You can enjoy a daily menu here for a small price and you can also drink coffee. The surrounding domain, which was created a century ago, is worth exploring with a stroll. It consists of three parts: a central park zone, the edges of the complex are wooded, and a park forest has been created as a connecting element. The numerous views, the so-called vistas, are very special. Each zone has its own characteristic vegetation: evergreen shrubs in the park forest, deciduous trees in the edge zone and evergreen coniferous trees in the central park. The park forms a large open space near the castle. The extensive lawn reaches as far as the imitation river bend, in which the castle is reflected, so that this pond is sometimes described as a mirror pond. Water plays an important role in the Domain. Together with the numerous winding paths, the winding ponds provide a beautiful addition to the park, park forest and forest. Ten water features give the whole the allure of an English water garden. The ponds, laid out on different levels, are connected to each other and are fed by each other. The height differences allowed the creation of a mountain stream, with waterfalls, mossy boulders and adapted riparian vegetation. After a nice rural crossing, it's time for even more natural beauty, if you follow the Dender to Geraardsbergen. This river is located in the Scheldt basin and flows over a length of 65 km through the provinces of Hainaut, East Flanders and Flemish Brabant. The Dender originates in Ath (height approx. 65m) through the confluence of the Eastern Dender (source on the border between Masnuy-Saint-Jean and Masnuy-Saint-Pierre) and the Western or Kleine Dender (source in Barry) and flows into Dendermonde on the right bank of the Scheldt. Canalization makes this tributary of the Scheldt navigable for ships up to 300 tons, but it is mainly used for recreation. So you can watch nice boats! And then you pass Geraardsbergen. Be sure to discover the medieval city here, today Geraardsbergen-Centrum and formerly, next to Aalst, one of the two cities of the so-called'Land van Aalst\\\'. Geraardsbergen originated in the 11th century as a city with a strategically important location. The founding of the southeastern corner of present-day East Flanders by Boudewijn VI was a precautionary measure by the count in case one of the neighbors - the German emperor in whose realm the adjacent shire of Brabant was located, and/or the future count of Hainaut - would pose a threat to Flanders. To attract people and populate the city, the count granted the city numerous rights, including a guaranteed freedom, which was a very special exception in a world of serfs. The count then took steps to transfer the Abbey of Dikkelvenne to the new town, at the end of the 11th century. This is how St. Adrian's Abbey was created, which, thanks to the veneration of St. Adriaan as a plague saint, developed an enormous appeal and radiance. Geraardsbergen was even called Adrianopolis at one point. About 1200, the city was endowed with the Hospital of Our Lady, one of the oldest infirmaries in the country. Geraardsbergen today has a valuable artistic heritage and numerous places of interest: the town hall, the Saint Bartholomew's Church, the Marbol, the Manneken Pis, the Dierkost, the priory of Hunnegem, the church of the Josephite Fathers, the Saint Catherine's Church... so worth getting off!