Cycling along the banks of the Scheldt

Klein-Brabant is a Flemish region in the city triangle between Antwerp, Brussels and Ghent. The Scheldt and the Rupel, a tributary of the Scheldt, flow in this area. In this varied landscape you cycle along the banks of the Scheldt, through its polders and through forests. You will also pass through some picturesque Flemish villages, such as Puurs and Hamme, birthplace of the writer Herman Brusselmans and K3 member Kristel Verbeke. Before you reach the Scheldt, you first cycle along the left bank of the Rupel, a river that is only twelve kilometers long. Across the water is the Rupel region, known for its brickworks. After cycling a few kilometers you can see how the Rupel flows into the Scheldt. The Scheldt originates in the north of France and ultimately flows into the North Sea via the Western Scheldt. Like every river, the Scheldt has been of great economic and strategic importance over the centuries. The Romans braved the cold and wet climate to their taste to sail to Britannia via the Scheldt. The Vikings used the river as a gateway on their raids in the surrounding regions. Between 1585 and 1792 the river was blocked in the Antwerp area for political, strategic and especially economic reasons. Ultimately, Belgium and the Netherlands did not agree on free passage until 1839, although the Western Scheldt still continues to stir people's minds from time to time. You drive along the banks of the Scheldt through a unique nature reserve. The river may have been fairly tamed, but it has left its mark on the landscape over the centuries. You will see many mud flats and salt marshes that are very valuable for water birds. You will also find willows, reeds, bank sedges and celandine. Driving through the wet forests you will see a rare swamp vegetation that includes ferns, swamp thistles and snakeroot. Many poplars, but also willow and ash grow in the polders. The nightingale, cuckoo and jay feel at home here. You cross the Scheldt twice via a ferry. After the first time you drive through the salt marshes of the Durme. This is one of the few freshwater salt marshes that Belgium still has. You will see a lot of reeds and willows here, they form impenetrable forests that resemble tropical mangroves.