Bulskampveld

Until the 18th century, Bulskampveld, measuring 300 ha, was a desolate heath, nearly treeless, with numerous ponds and swamps. The name is derived from 'bulnas campa', the field of the bulls, a 10,000 ha large heath area that once extended from Aalter to Torhout. Around 1770, farmer Lambert Malfait began the reclamation and planting of trees here. The Austrians wanted all wastelands to be either cultivated or afforested. In 1838, the estate came into the hands of Count de Meeus, who transformed Malfait's estate into a castle in neo-Gothic style. Starting in 1904, the new owners, the Lippens family, arranged for the park to be created. In 1970, the province of West Flanders acquired the castle and 200 ha of park, forest, and agricultural land. The estate was given the dual name Lippensgoed-Bulskampveld. Together with a similarly named domain forest from the Flemish Community (100 ha), it forms the largest contiguous forest and walking area in West Flanders. Behind the castle lies a 1 ha large herb garden.

Lannoo