The Book

“Historically, people liked to settle near rivers,” says guide Marleen. “Along the Grote Nete, bog iron ore, iron sandstone, and peat were extracted. In some places, you could even cross the river at low tide, on foot or with a horse and cart.” Such fordable places, tidal flats, were the basis for later bridges. In the 18th century, there was a ferry and a loading place here, as shown on the Ferraris map of 1770. Later came the farm ‘Achter De Boekt’ (1871) and the inn De Boekt (1895), a popular stopping place by the water. “It was once even a bathing resort, where people swam in the Nete and then went for a pint,” smiles Marleen. The name De Boekt possibly refers to an old beech forest. For centuries, this was the only crossing between Berlaar, Gestel, and Kessel.

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