Cycling between Geraardsbergen and Zottegem

With this tour you will discover the beautiful nature and culture of the Flemish Ardennes, a rolling region in the province of East Flanders. The hills here vary in height between 90 and 145 meters. The route leads you towards Zottegem. This town is located at the foot of the hills and is therefore also considered the gateway to the Flemish Ardennes. Zottegem is known as Egmontstad: Lamoraal van Egmont is buried in the crypt under the church. Two statues, a castle and a dozen signs remind us of the unfortunate sixteenth-century count. During the route you cycle through several East Flemish villages. Here you experience the typical peace and conviviality of the Flemish countryside. After a nice rural shortcut you reach Geraardsbergen, the city that was founded in the eleventh century due to its strategically important location. Around 1200, the city was endowed with the Hospital of Our Lady, one of the oldest hospitals in the country. And there is more to see in this medieval city: the neo-Gothic town hall, the St. Bartholomew's Church and a Manneken Pis that is no less than 160 years older than the famous little guy in Brussels... so worth a trip! For culinary enthusiasts, Geraardsbergen has the mattentaart: a pastry made from soured milk that has been given the 'protected geographical indication' label by the European Union. Cycling enthusiasts are of course familiar with the steep and bumpy slope De Muur van Geraardsbergen. The Wall is a cobblestone road on the Oudenberg, the hill against which the city center of Geraardsbergen is located. If you like a challenge, you can of course try to climb this infamous executioner. The steep slope has a length of 1075 meters, the highest gradient is 20%. At the top of the 110-metre peak you have a beautiful view of the surroundings. There is also a chapel. Although cyclists can safely say thank you for making the climb, according to local tradition, the Oudenberg was already a sanctuary in pre-Christian times.'Oudenberg\\\' is said to be a corruption of'Odinberg\\\', which refers to the Germanic supreme god Odin. The current chapel would stand on the site of the shrine.