Along the Leie near Deinze

With this route you will discover the Meetjesland, a special region. In the northern Creeks area you cycle through extensive polders and along quiet creeks and canals. In the southern Houtland you walk through beautiful forests and along quiet watercourses. Anyone who wants to experience a healthy outdoor life will definitely find what they are looking for in 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 work in an attempt to free the Zwingeul, which was silting up. They wanted to connect to 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 argument. 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 fulfills a"corridor function\\\"; animals can move freely from one area to another. The green canal leads through a wide variety of biotopes, from sparse grasslands, thickets with broom and gorse to forest zones and reed collars, which are very valuable for a number of bird species. You cycle out of the city through the beautiful Leie region 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 attractive, richly furnished and well-maintained 16th century castle: Ooidonk. It may have been founded in the 12th century, but the oldest parts date from the year 1230. The castle was razed to the ground twice, in 1491 and in 1579. The ruins were sold to Maarten della Faille, who owned the castle. built in Renaissance style, as it still looks today. The castle used to serve as an outpost and defensive stronghold of the city of Ghent, but it is now the private property of Count Juan t\\\'Kint de Roodenbeke. What sets this castle apart from most accessible castles is the fact that it is well maintained, inhabited and the setting for family life. Definitely worth getting off! At Nevelle you arrive at the canal again, which you follow for a long way to the south. In Machelen-Zulte, before returning to the starting point, visit the Roger Raveel Museum. Roger Raveel is considered one of the most important Belgian artists after WWII. His work cannot be cataloged in the usual art historical boxes; it is contemporary and timeless. The breeding ground for Raveel's art is his immediate environment. The things around him take on a universal meaning in his paintings, drawings, objects and installations. The beautiful sleek building is worth a visit in itself.