Kalkense Meersen: tranquillity, ancient waterways and Galloways

Start & Finish: Parking opposite the church and the cafés and restaurants of Schellebelle (Dorp 20, 9260 Schellebelle, Belgium).
Terrain: A mix of unpaved surfaces (gravel, grass, boardwalks) and low-traffic roads.
Walking tip: In wet seasons, tall, waterproof walking shoes or boots are essential for the muddy paths and swamp forests!

Leave the hustle and bustle of everyday life behind and explore one of Flanders’ most beautiful river landscapes. With a thousand hectares of continuous low-lying meadows, mirror-like pools and ancient meanders of the Scheldt, the Kalkense Meersen form a unique paradise for meadow birds—and are protected as a European Birds Directive site for good reason.

Lace up your walking shoes and discover picturesque wooden boardwalks, grazing Galloways and atmospheric village cafés along the water.

PART 1: Along the Kalkense Vaart and Oude Schelde to Uitbergen

Kalkense Vaart & Oude Schelde: We follow the Kalkense Vaart towards Kalken along a wide, traffic-free gravel road. Halfway, we cross the canal and take the path alongside the Oude Schelde. A wooden observation tower offers fantastic panoramic views of the old meander and the expansive meadows.

Gat van Belham & Bellebeek: We walk along the gravel road ‘Gat van Belham’, past hay meadows lined with pollarded willows, towards the Bellebeek. Be sure to pause on the little bridge: the still, reflective water and dense waterside vegetation make for a dreamy photo spot.

Wijmeers swamp forest: After a short stretch along the ring dike, just before the Galloway grazing area, we turn left. The unpaved path winds through the fairytale-like Wijmeers swamp forest, past winding waterways and overgrown ditches.

Towards Uitbergen: We walk along the ring dike and through the flood area into the picturesque Scheldt village of Uitbergen.

Stop 1: Café-Taverne De Zwaan, An authentic, welcoming meeting place right next to Uitbergen church. (See De Zwaan on Facebook)

With our batteries recharged, we leave Uitbergen behind. We walk back towards the Scheldt and follow the Scheldt dike to the bridge.

Choose how to continue:
> Going for the full route? Cross the Scheldt bridge and continue with PART 2.
> Want to skip PART 2? Continue along the Scheldt dike beneath the bridge and go straight to PART 3.

PART 2 (Optional): Detour via Bergenmeersen to Wichelen
We cross the Scheldt bridge and turn left, following the right bank to the Bergenmeersen tidal nature reserve.

Here, the waters of the Scheldt flow in and out each day with the rhythm of the tides. This creates a unique habitat of freshwater mudflats and salt marshes, which you walk right through on an adventurous boardwalk. A fantastic experience!

After Bergenmeersen, we continue along the Scheldt bank to the next stop.

Stop 2: Cultuurcafé ’t Véken, The perfect meeting place for bon vivants, culture lovers and passers-by. (See 't Véken on Facebook)

After this stop, we return to the Scheldt bridge via roads with little or no traffic. We cross the bridge again and rejoin the main route.

PART 3: Face to face with the Scottish grazers
After the bridge, we climb back up onto the ring dike of the Kalkense Meersen. Via Grote Kouterstraat, we head back into the green heart of the area.
Halfway along the street, we turn right through a wooden kissing gate into the grazing area. Galloway cattle roam here all year round. These Scottish grazers are very docile, but meeting them on the path is still quite an experience!
> Respect their peace: keep your distance, don’t feed them, keep your dog on a leash and give them a wide berth if they’re lying on the path.

Halfway through the grazing area, we ignore the path to the swamp forest and follow the route to the left (west). We leave the grazing area through a gate.
Then we climb the ring dike once more, and soon the ferry comes back into view.

Unwind by the water
Time to linger over a meal! There are excellent places to relax both before and after crossing on the ferry:

Great places to stop on the Kalkense Meersen side (before crossing):

> Taverne Scheldebries: (See the Scheldebries website or Scheldebries on Facebook)

> Eetcafé Den Aard: (See the Den Aard website or Den Aard on Facebook)

Places to stop on the Schellebelle side (after crossing):

> Eetcafé ’t Veer: (See the 't Veer website or 't Veer on Facebook)

> Dorpscafé De Stenen Linde: (See De Stenen Linde on Facebook)

💬 Your opinion matters!
I’ve mapped out this route with great care and love for the region. You’d make my day by leaving a comment and a star rating after your walk!
Taken any lovely photos along the way? Feel free to share them with the route—I’d love to see them!