From the dunes in the Westhoek to Veurne

You cycle through the Flemish Westhoek and through the dune ridges of the West Coast. The ride takes you from De Panne to Nieuwpoort, after which you turn inland and cycle through the historic town of Veurne. De Panne is the westernmost place in Belgium and the southernmost seaside resort on the Belgian coast. From the second half of the 19th century, De Panne increasingly changed from a fishing village into a tourist resort. Nowadays, many visitors also come to the popular amusement park Plopsaland. Lovers of visual arts can visit the Museum Paul Delvaux. The museum is dedicated to the work of the surrealist master Paul Delvaux, the'artist of dreams and poetry\\\'. Delvaux was often included in Belgian surrealism, but wanted to create'poetic realism\\\' himself. In doing so, he achieved unprecedented heights and international fame. You cycle through Nieuwpoort, where the river IJzer flows into the North Sea. Nieuwpoort Lighthouse was first built in 1881. It was destroyed during the First World War and after reconstruction in 1923 it did not survive the Second World War either. The tower was blown up by the Germans during their retreat in 1944. The 29-metre high tower is one of four still working lighthouses along the Belgian coast. Veurne is located in a former salt mining area. It was already a fortified town in the 9th century, which was surrounded by walls in the 14th century. The Gothic buildings around the Grote Markt date from the 13th century, when the cloth trade brought wealth to Veurne. You will also find many 17th-century buildings in regional Renaissance style in the Flemish town, built during the Spanish period. The Bakery Museum in Veurne is dedicated to the history of the bakery from 1800 to 1950. The collection was once started by a traveling salesman who collected baking materials from the hundreds of bakers he had as customers. You will learn everything about bread baking, pastry making, making ice cream, chocolate, gingerbread and wafers and many more themes that will all make your mouth water.