To Bruges

August 29, 2024

Well, that went fast! Four days and we’re leaving Holland already. We’ve been here just long enough to get a little taste of a little corner of a little country but it’s been enough of a bite to convince us that we’d like to come back for more. Me especially - it’s a good country for old men.

A good thing about the hotel we’re staying at is that their fine buffet breakfast is laid out at six. We’re down there soon after that, with our goal to be in plenty of time to catch the ferry across the Westerschelde, the broad inlet that continues east to Antwerp. It’s the match to the Oosterschelde we biked across yesterday, the two of them originating as the delta of the Scheldt River.

We ace the day’s first test and arrive at the ferry terminal fifteen minutes before departure after an easy, flat two mile ride through Vlissingen. And before we leave this city, just a quick observation that Vlissingen is also known as Flushing and is the source for the name of Flushing, New York. Good to know.

We’re surprised by how large our ferry is this morning. There are only a few of us boarding, but it looks like there is capacity for hundreds of bikes. I think it’s formerly a car ferry, but car crossings became obsolete with the completion of the Westerschelde Tunnelin 2003. It looks spacious now, but a man on the deck tells us that he’s been turned away before and had to wait for the next sailing because it was at capacity.

It’s very pleasant this morning and we stay out on deck for the four mile crossing. While we’re up there we enjoy a conversation with another passenger, a man on his way to work. He’s a school counselor who works a rotation at several different schools in the area. He’s an open, personable man who impresses us as someone who is likely to be quite good at his job, and impresses us too when he tells us he once swam across the inlet.

Leaving Vlissingen, but not leaving Holland quite yet. We won’t cross into Belgium for about another fifteen miles.

We should include at least one shot of the city before we leave. Neat windmill!

The Westerschelde carries more and heavier traffic than its mate to the north, steaming to and from Antwerp I imagine.

I liked being able to zoom in for a closer look at this fishing boat and see the nets dragging behind it with the gull cloud swirling above.

The south shore is fronted by a long line of dunes. We pass close enough to them that I can see that there’s a large gathering of oystercatchers catching the morning sun.

This ferry ride is nothing like that chaotic crossing of the Veere Sea yesterday which took ten or fifteen minutes for its bikes to unload. When we arrive there’s a long aisle filled with bikers ready to board - maybe they’re morning commuters - and they’re nearly all on board already by the time we bike off.

For the next ten miles we bike west, another ride along the crest of a dike as we follow the south side of the inlet west. This one has a much different character - sand dunes the whole way, with long wave breakers reaching far out into the water, presumably to control erosion. It’s very enjoyable riding and I’m sorry when it’s time to break away and head south, and I’m a little sorry too to be leaving south Holland so soon. We’ve never intended to stay long here though, because we want to get further south before the weather starts turning.

Looking across at Vlissingen. I liked this shot for the long shadows the pilings cast on the sand.

This is an area that could do with an further exploration some year.

The five story cast iron Nieuwe Sluis Lighthouse, built in 1866.

We’re crossing Dutch Flanders now, the northern portion of Flanders within the Dutch border.Turning south, we cycle bike paths and quiet roads through agricultural land that has a different feel from further to the north - we’re seeing trees again, something that Rachael notes appreciatively - it would be easier to slip into them for privacy than in the wide open expanse she hiked through a few days ago.

They must see a lot of bikes here. They aren’t at all skittish when we bike past.

I realize I haven’t done a very good job of capturing the look of homes here. This one isn’t really quite typical - whitewashed brick is more the standard - but I liked the colors.

Another windmill, and we’re starting to come across an occasional thatched roof.

I was surprised to see the long line of trees ahead. It’s a line that continues for miles, as we’ll find when we merge with it later.

After about ten miles of this we come to Sluis, a small walled historical town near the border. It’s been rebuilt since it was largely destroyed in World War II, but it has an attractive feeling and looks well worth a visit. If we weren’t in such a hurry to get to Bruges in time for lunch we might have stopped for refreshment and a look around here.

South of Sluis we follow the Damse Vaart, part of a canal system built to connect Bruges to the Westerschelde. As I understand it, the name comes from the former village of Damse that was flooded out in creating the canal. It’s a delightful cycling route, the long road lined by unbroken rows of trees on both sides.

Along the Damse Vaart canal. But I guess that’s redundant, since vaart means canal.

It’s been a fine ride up until now, but the real highlight of the day comes when we’re surprised to see we have a second ferry crossing - a very short one across the canal, on a hand-operated ferry. I’ve never seen one of these, and it’s a particular delight because I’ve been envious of the crossing the Grampies took on one of these about a week ago with their grandkids and son. I want to see one of those, I said at the time. And now here we are.

Unfortunately the boat is on the opposite shore when we arrive, so the trip begins with me cranking it across to our side - and then cranking it back the other way with us on board. I don’t do much upper body work, and I’m sure I’ll want some ibuprofen later.

For all I know we’ll never see another like this, so I’m saving lots of photos of the experience.

As we near the shore another couple arrives going the other direction, and the gent considerately lends a helping hand to crank me in the last few yards. I don’t repay the favor though, because when we get off I lean the bike against a railing while I take a photo of Rachael’s bike beside a navigational signpost.

And then behind me I hear a shout and turn around. The couple are only a few feet out into the canal, and stuck. I’ve thoughtlessly leaned my bike against the cable crank and now it’s locked snug against my bike, immobilizing them. Ha, ha.

They’re going the other way, once I free them.

The remaining miles to Bruges are uneventful, and we arrive in time for lunch. We bike into the historical center where all the restaurants are, find ourselves a table, and sit down to enjoy the meal and coloeful setting. Afterwards we bike through the crowds to our B&B about a half mile away and get settled in, but we’ll stop here for now. We’re in Bruges for two nights so there’s time to say more tomorrow.

Our first look at Belgium (for this year anyway). We’ve just crossed the border.

Video sound track: Swing, by Yasmin Williams

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Today's ride: 33 miles (53 km)
Total: 3,579 miles (5,760 km)

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Patrick O'HaraIt's nice to follow this route of yours since the Hook of Holland, as it retraces our very first European tour through here in 1996! Must be nice to be on flatter roads and cycling along cycle paths and dykes.
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3 months ago

Scott AndersonTo Patrick O'HaraEveryone’s been here before us, it seems like. It’s about time we came and saw for ourselves. And yes, after the last generally hilly half year it’s nice to see some flat terrain - when the wind blows right, that is.
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3 months ago