Through the basin of the Scheldt

This route leads largely along the right bank of the Scheldt. You cycle in a bowl between the towns of Sint-Amands and Hingene in the province of Antwerp. You will discover a unique nature reserve here. The river may have been reasonably tamed, but it has left its mark on the landscape over the centuries. You see many mud flats and salt marshes that are very valuable for waterfowl. You will also find willows, reeds, shore sedge and celandine. Driving through the wet forests you will see a rare swamp vegetation that includes ferns, swamp thistles and snake root. Many poplars grow in the polders, but also willow and ash. And of course you have a beautiful view of the river and nature and villages on the left bank of the Scheldt. The Scheldt rises in the north of France and eventually 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 be able 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 in the vicinity of Antwerp was blocked for political, strategic and, above all, economic reasons. In the end, Belgium and the Netherlands did not agree on a free passage until 1839, although the Western Scheldt is still a source of controversy now and then. Just before De Schelde is joined by the river Rupel, you turn back towards the starting point. Traditionally, this is a water-rich area with many streams and canals that were constructed for the exploitation of the peat in the nineteenth century. Get off in the (largely private) Lippelobos if you like mushrooms, because there are a hundred different types of fungi here. Do you have more affinity with navigation systems? Then pay attention when you drive through the Opdorp area. After 120 hours of hard work, students of the Faculty of Applied Sciences in Leuven have calculated via GPS measurements that the geographical center of Flanders is on the territory of Opdorp. Remarkably enough, this center is located at the so-called Drie-Provinciënpunt, where East Flanders, Antwerp and Brabant come together.