Creeks and chapels in meetjesland

Meet at the parking lot of De Koetshoeve in Adegem, on the diversion canal of the Leie at junction (KP) 97 of the Meetjesland cycling network. This route exists in a version of 64 km and one of 52 km. If you choose the shortening, you will leave with the channel on your right towards KP 96. Leave the Raverschootbrug on the right and cycle past restaurant In 't Stadhuis van Raverschoot to KP 95. Keep following the canal, dive on KP 21 under the E34 and continue cycling along the railway bridge of Balgerhoeke to KP 15. Here you pick up on the big route. For the big tour, follow Berlaars, direction KP 24. At the fork you cycle left onto the gravel road. It turns into an earthen road, which can be very muddy, and that in turn becomes a narrow earthen path, which runs through a wide strip of grass. At the end you come to an asphalt road. Follow it to the right.

If you want it more comfortable, turn right at the fork, don't care about side roads and turn right at the end. You are then back on the cycling network.

On the T turn left, direction Canadamuseum. Turn left with the road and cycle between the entrance of the Canada-Poland War Museum and a WWII tank to KP 24. Turn right, direction KP 19. At the crossroads 100 meters further you cycle straight into Windvang. At the end of this narrow concrete road between the fields of the Spanjaardshoek, follow the Molenstraat to the left. On the T turn right and continue with a left right nod to the center of Adegem. At the church you are on KP 19. Continue cycling straight ahead, cross the N9 and the railway and continue cycling until KP 17. Turn left, direction KP 13. At the crossroads you cycle straight ahead, over Broekelken. After a turn you come to FP 13.

Follow the Radestraat to the left, direction KP 10 and at the fork on the right take the Kleine Katsweg. At the end, turn left onto the cycle path parallel to the N44 and follow it until you can cycle right under the busy road. Continue straight on to KP 10 at the town hall of Maldegem. Continue cycling towards KP 8 and turn right next to St. Anne's Castle into the park. When you get out, turn right. Cross the Ede and turn left into the Oude Aardenburgseweg. At the first crossroads you are on FP 8. Continue straight ahead, direction FP 4.

In the wake of the Black Devils

Take the bicycle tunnel under the N49 and continue cycling along the Ede. Cross the second bridge over the Ede, turn right and continue to follow the Ede until kp 4. Continue straight and 100 meters further on KP 3 turn right over the bridge, direction KP 6. The Ede flows here into the Diversion Canal of the Lys. On KP 6 you cycle under the bridge and continue to follow the Diversion Canal towards KP 15. At the first intersection you are at the Rapenbrug. On a plaque you can read that the bridge was taken by the Black Devils in 1918. These were carabiners and cyclists of the Belgian army. There is also a picnic area.

Continue cycling to KP 15. Cross the Celie bridge and at café De Roos you are on KP 16. Next to this popular café, a soldier with a machine gun stands guard on an iron tower. Heavy fighting took place on this bridge in 1944. Continue cycling towards KP 91. Ignore the Kochuytstraat on the right and follow the Celiekerkweg towards Sint-Laureins. Cross a crossroads and cycle along the football fields to the Leemweg. Cross it and continue cycling through the Eerstestraat towards Kaprijke.

On KP 91, turn left into Caatsweg, direction KP 89. You cycle past canada poplars, and on the quadrangle with a chapel and a triangular square straight ahead. Ignore the Rommelsweg on the left and turn left on KP 89 into the Dorpsstraat, direction KP 90. Cycle past the church of Sint-Laureins and ignore the road to Eeklo on the left. Please note: the cycling network turns left here, but you cycle straight ahead. Cycle past the town hall and follow the Dorpsstraat to the end. Cross the Moershoofdebrug and you are on KP 90. Turn right, along the Leopold Canal, direction KP 86. At the fork, choose Kantijne on the left and cycle past border post 341. Turn left further into the Langeweg and cycle over the Vrouwkenshoekkreek. At the crossroads turn right and before the Blokkreek turn left until kp 86. Turn right, direction KP 83. Just along the Blokkreek and then over it, past a beautifully situated picnic area and on to KP 83. Turn left, direction KP 41. Leave a road on the right, cycle along the Hollandersgat creek and turn right at the next quadrangle, towards Sint-Margriete for cyclists. Don't worry about side roads and continue cycling to KP 41.

Counting chapels

Follow Sint-Margrietestraat towards KP 42 until you can turn left into Molenkreekstraat. At a house from 1914 you turn in front of the Molenkreek, at a picnic area, turn right and continue cycling until you reach KP 42. Continue straight ahead, direction KP 43. Follow Sint-Liviniuspolder until you reach a roundabout. Turn left past restaurant Elmare until KP 43. Cycle diagonally right, direction KP 75. You bolt past the Krekenpoort residential park, take the first street on the right and turn left at the intersection with the Sint-Jan-de-Doperkerkje of Sint-Jan-in-Eremo.

It now continues past café Polderzicht and Provincial Sports Centre De Boerekreek. Cross a creek and you will arrive at the Sint-Jansbrug on KP 75. Cross the Leopold Canal and continue cycling towards KP 72. Immediately left, take Riethul, a narrow concrete road next to a deep moat. Then turn right onto the first road and turn left on the T. Ignore a road on the right and turn right on the next T.
At the end of the Krabbendijk turn right again and continue over the Cocquytpolderdijk to KP 72. Turn right, direction KP 81 and centre Bentille. Take the Graaf Jansdijk on the right and cycle straight on a piece of unpaved road at the crossroads. At the end of this, turn right. At the next two forks, keep right and continue along Bentille Creek until KP 81. Continue straight until KP 85 and turn left there. You now follow the straight Goochelaarstraat for 2.5 km, direction KP 76. At the end turn right towards Eeklo and then left into the Rysselhofdreef.

Before the Rijselhof, turn right and continue cycling to KP 76. Continue straight and then turn right into Landstraatje. You cycle right next to one of the fifteen ommegang chapels that belong to the Kleem chapel. On the T you are already at the fifth chapel. Left. Ignore a road with a covered picnic area on the right and cycle past two next pillar chapels to KP 80 at the Kleem chapel. Turn left, direction KP 79. Cycle past five chapels again, ignore the Rysselhofstraat with the other chapels on the left and follow the Wulfhoekstraat until KP 79.

Along a medieval farmhouse
Follow the cycle path on the other side to the right towards KP 84 and then turn left into Molenstraatje. On the T follow Aalstgoed to the right, direction Eeklo for cyclists. Cross the N49 via the bicycle bridge and continue cycling until KP 84. Right. Follow Bus until KP 87 and continue cycling straight ahead, towards KP 99. Cycle along 't Groot Goed and follow Bus to the end. Turn left, direction KP 99 and Eeklo.

Follow the N434 along the cycle path until the roundabout. Take the second exit and continue cycling until the level crossing. Turn left, along the path next to the railway. At Kerkstraat you make a right-left bend and continue cycling along the other side of the tracks until you reach KP 99. Leave the railway, direction KP 94. You enter the Garenstraat and follow it to the right. At the end turn right again, into Raamstraat and then left into Lijnendraaierstraat.
Cycle around the Markt to KP 94. On the other side you cycle into the Collegestraat, direction KP 55. Turn left at the crossroads. Ignore all side streets until you can turn right into Dullaert. Follow this street until KP 55, turn left into Hendrik Consciencestraat and continue cycling along Eeklo's Leike. On KP 57 you cycle right, through Provincial Domain Het Leen, direction KP 54. After the Domain you cycle through the open field past a field chapel to KP 54 on the Diversion Canal of the Lys. Cross it and follow it to the right. On KP 51 cross the N499 and continue to follow the canal, towards KP 97. Opposite KP 50, the canal of Eeklo flows into the Drainage Canal of the Lys. Continue to follow the channel until FP 97.