Castles and Abbey Route from Torhout

Today's starting point is Torhout. Until the beginning of the last century, the Bruges Ommeland was very inhospitable. Dark forests interspersed with swamps, roaming bands of robbers, feudal lords who kept small farmers under their thumb... Torhout, at a junction of Roman roads, was a real breath of fresh air for merchants on their way through. A safe, bustling and hospitable town. That evil atmosphere has disappeared from the Bruges Ommeland, but Torhout has lost none of its hospitality. A nice chat on a terrace in the city centre of Torhout, sipping a blond foaming Thouroutenaere and dipping a cube of creamy Wynendale cheese in the hellish mustard of Wostyn: Torhout's hospitality is a delight to the palate! Whoever says Torhout, also says Wijnendale. A visit to Wijnendale Castle, a pearl in Flanders' heritage crown, is a must. The Torhout Pottery Museum and the Mustard Museum are also worth discovering. Explore the Bruges Ommeland from Torhout! The castles in this region are truly something to write home about. Wijnendale Castle is particularly valuable because of its major contribution to the 1000-year history of the County of Flanders. Be sure to visit this historic castle domain with its impressive moated castle. The visitor centre is located in the gatehouse, after which a stately castle drive leads you to the rampart, drawbridge and entrance gate of the castle. A detour via the grape conservatory and the pond is also possible. Wijnendale Castle is privately owned, but the castle museum is located in the left wing. Much attention is paid to how people lived, worked and had fun in the castle. As an individual visitor, you will be provided with a pocket computer or visitor's guide so that you do not miss anything about the special history of the building. Another beautiful castle that you will pass is Domein d\\\'Aertrycke with its neo-Gothic castle, a relaxing, romantic garden with a park pond. In 2012, the de Maere family sold this domain to the province of West Flanders, and you can now stroll along the guided hiking trails. Worthwhile! You will also pass a beautiful abbey: Benedictine Abbey Ten Putte, a popular place of pilgrimage, especially in July. In addition to the church and the devotional chapel, you can visit the famous "well", the crow chapel (on the motte) and the prison. The remarkable "hemd zonder seam" is also on display. The picturesque Ten Putte Abbey is located on the site where Godelieve lived and was murdered in the 11th century. Ten Putte has become a true place of pilgrimage where thousands of people flock every year to invoke Godelieve against throat and eye diseases or to maintain domestic peace. The walled enclosure with the white abbey buildings and the lush garden form an oasis of peace and quiet on the border between Houtland and De Polders. According to legend, the Benedictine abbey was founded by Edith, a daughter from the second marriage of Bertolf van Gistel who was born blind, and who was cured of her blindness by washing her eyes with water from the well into which the body of the strangled Godelieve had been thrown - Bertolf's first wife, whom he had murdered because his mother hated her. The oldest historical data about the abbey date from the 12th century. The relatively quiet history was disrupted in the 16th century by religious wars: in 1578 the abbey was attacked and destroyed by the Forest Beggars, whereupon the sisters had to flee. The abandoned buildings in Gistel fell into ruin, with the exception of the church which was restored in 1614-1615. 313 years later, on 2 July 1891, 12 sisters returned to Gistel. They moved into new monastery buildings, built according to plans by architect Baron Jean-Baptist de Bethune (*), the great advocate of the neo-Gothic style in this region. Only the body of the small tower from the end of the 14th century was preserved. The sisters have since left, but the abbey can still be visited: there is a cafeteria with a terrace. Back in Torhout, you can visit the last castle. In the city centre, a stone's throw from the Market, you will find the lovely castle park Ravenhof. It is a clear example of the English landscape garden and contains rare exotic trees and shrubs. Castle Ravenhof is surrounded by a rampart and to the side of the park is a sheep meadow with a high-stem orchard. Park Ravenhof is a lovely place to take a stroll!