Baasrode, Vlassenbroek and the Scheldt

Appointment at the Sint-Ursmaruskerk on the banks of the Scheldt in Baasrode, borough of Dendermonde. The 16th century St. Ursmarus Church is late Gothic and the tower head from 1677 in Renaissance style is classified. Leave the church for the main road and then turn right towards Dendermonde. Walk along the main road for just over 400 m and then turn right into Broekkantstraat.

Follow the Broekkantstraat until it turns left after 300 m and then turn right at the kaatsplein and next to house number 112. Walk behind the garden of house number 112 to the left into the Broekkantstraat. Here on the right, between the Broekkantstraat and the Scheldt, is the vast Vlassenbroekse polder, with the Pauwelaartsschoor near with several mirrored lakes for anglers. After 750 m at the crossroads, walk straight ahead, now in the Broekkouter. A little further on the left is a beautiful water tower. A few hundred meters past the water tower at the T-junction, turn right into Vlassenbroek.

After a few hundred meters on the left - in a green landscape of meadows and pollard willows - there is a beautiful road chapel and after another kilometer you are at the picturesque Sint-Gertrudiskerk of Vlassenbroek. The Church of Saint Gertrude was rebuilt in the early 17th century and, together with the cemetery and the surrounding landscape, has been protected since 1956. At the beginning of the 20th century Vlassenbroek was a real artists' village and since the second half of the last century a tourist attraction with various cafes and art galleries such as 't Ateljeeken and the Kleine Notelaar.

Climb the stairs on the Scheldedijk at the church and walk downstream to the right. Walkers with buggies and wheelchair users walk to the right in front of the church and after 150 m via a moderately climbing asphalt road on the dike. The walk now runs for almost 5 km on top of the Scheldedijk, with beautiful views of the Scheldt and the polders. On the right under the dike you can see a few 'wheels' between the last buildings (waterholes are created after dike breaches) and on the left are unique freshwater salt marshes outside the dike, which are managed by Natuurpunt. Then you see on the right in the polder alternately narrow meadows and especially forests of planted canada poplars.

The village on the other side of the Scheldt is Moerzeke. Another kilometer further you come to the Kramp, a loop-shaped freshwater marsh on the left bank of the Scheldt. De Kramp has been a nature reserve since 1997. In winter, the mudflats on the Kramp are a stopping place for many waterfowl and occasionally a stray seal is even spotted.

The church in the background is the Sint-Jozefkerk of Moerzeke-Kastel. On the right in the Vlassen broekse polder, nv Waterwegen en Zeekanaal, as part of the Sigma plan, has been working on the construction of the Vlassenbroek flood zone since the summer of 2012. The Sigma plan aims to better protect Flanders against flooding from the Scheldt and its tributaries and at the same time restore the beautiful Scheldt nature.

A few hundred meters further you can still see the remains of a former foot spring and 600 m past it you go right at the fork. Now turn right, cross the wide concrete strip and continue along the factory wall. Now first turn left (sign Polderwandeling) and then right, and then after 40 m turn left (blue sign: Fietsers Veer en Kerk). At the T-junction, walk to the left towards the church.
Just before you come back to the church, you first pass the foot ferry Baasrode-Moerzeke. This ferry service takes all pedestrians and cyclists to the other side of the Scheldt free of charge. There you come via the Scheldedijk after about 4 km to the ferry of Sint-Amands, where you can start with the Scheldeverenwandeling.