Along the Leie near Deinze

With this route you will discover the Meetjesland, a special region. In the northern Krekengebied you will cycle through vast polders and along quiet creeks and canals. In the southern Houtland you will walk through beautiful forests and along quiet watercourses. If you want to taste the healthy outdoor life, you will definitely get your money's worth in the Meetjesland. You start your route in Deinze on the Ghent-Bruges canal, one of the oldest canals in the country. The history of the Ghent-Bruges canal begins in the 13th century. It was the people of Bruges who started the excavation works in an attempt to free the Zwingeul, which was silting up. They wanted to make a connection with the Leie in Deinze, but this met with fierce resistance from the city of Ghent. The dispute dragged on for a long time. At the end of the 14th century, the Ghent White Hoods fought in Aalter with the Bruges canal diggers, who lost the battle. It was not until 1604 that the Flemish cities agreed on a canal that would connect Ghent, Bruges and Ostend with each other and the sea. The canal (42 km) was finally opened in 1625. The canal forms an important green ribbon between Ghent and Bruges. It fulfils a "corridor function"; animals can move freely from one area to another. The green canal leads through a great variety of biotopes, from poor grasslands, thickets with broom and gorse to forest zones and reed beds, which are very valuable for a number of bird species. You cycle out of the city through the beautiful Leie region to the southwest of Ghent. This area attracted various artists around the turn of the century. Painters, but also poets and composers. In one of the many meanders of the Leie, between Deinze and Ghent, there is a surprisingly atmospheric, richly furnished and well-maintained 16th century castle: Ooidonk. It may have originated in the 12th century, but the oldest parts date back to 1230. The castle was razed to the ground twice, in 1491 and 1579. The ruins were sold to Maarten della Faille, who had the castle built in the Renaissance style, as it still looks today. The castle used to serve as an outpost and defensive stronghold for the city of Ghent, but is now privately owned by Count Juan t\\\'Kint de Roodenbeke. What sets this castle apart from most accessible castles is the fact that it is well maintained and that it is also inhabited and forms the setting for family life. Definitely worth getting off! At Nevelle you will come out at the canal again, which you will follow a long way south. In Machelen-Zulte, before returning to the starting point, pay a visit to the Roger Raveel Museum. Roger Raveel is considered one of the most important Belgian artists after WWII. His work cannot be catalogued in the familiar art historical boxes; it is contemporary and timeless. The breeding ground of Raveel's art is his immediate environment. The things around him are given a universal meaning in his paintings, drawings, objects and installations. The beautiful, sleek building is worth a visit in itself.