Along the Scheldt, from Oudenaarde to Ghent

Cycling downstream with the Scheldt. That means constant descending and leaving the steep valley flanks for what they are. This bike tour is therefore a comfortable ride along the historic Oudenaarde, the archaeological site of old Ename, the lock of Asper and Gavere, where a bloody battle between Ghent and Oudenaardisten was once fought. Fortunately, the battle between the two cities is delivered on the pedals today.

1. Appointment at the former Kompas campsite, Kortrijkstraat 342 in Bevere-Oudenaarde. You leave the parking lot and start your journey to the left. Ignore a street on the right and then cross the road to Oudenaarde. On the other side, follow the Meersstraat. Don't worry about side roads and cycle further through an agricultural landscape with many pollard willows. You cycle past a number of houses and where the Kouterroute turns to the right and the Muurstraat starts, you choose left. In front of you are some buildings of the former Beaulieu Abbey, now gasthof. The road becomes unpaved and at the fork keep right. You cross the Rietgracht and at the domain Het Anker you climb on the Scheldedijk. To the left. On the other side of the Scheldt lies Melden. You cycle under the Grote Ring and under a railway bridge and enter Oudenaarde. On the left bank are the Gothic town hall, the Gothic St. Walburga church and the 17th century beguinage, on the right bank the Church of Our Lady of Pamele - a cool example of Scheldt Gothic in Flanders - , the Black Sister Monastery and the former Cistercian abbey of Maagdendale, now an administrative center. The cycle path leads to a car park. Keep following the Scheldt, past a bridge with traffic lights, a pedestrian bridge (with liefmans brewery on the other bank) and the lock of Oudenaarde. Continue cycling along a mandatory cycle path and ignore the road to Ename. On the other side of the Scheldt is the archaeological site of Ename. A little further on you see on the left, the church of Eine.
2. Cycle under the Ohio Bridge, ignore the road to the village center and continue cycling along the Scheldt on a wide asphalt road. On the left you notice an old Scheldt arm and behind it the church of Heurne. You still drive past some old Scheldt arms and under the bridge of the Jagers on foot. On the left is Zingem, on the right Nederzwalm. On the other side, the landscape becomes hilly. You cycle past the Mesureput, an idyllic, old Scheldt arm and ignore all side roads. Then you slalom past the lock of Asper and continue cycling along the Scheldt, under the Gavere bridge. On the right the village center of Gavere. Just before the next bridge, the Grenadiers bridge, you will find a charming, price-friendly eatery, with terrace next to the Scheldt. On the left is Eke. Keep following the Scheldt. Soon you will notice in the distance, on the other bank, the mutilated, but still monumental mill hull of Melsen (still difficult to see through the trees on the banks of the Scheldt). From afar it seems to be at a height, but the further you cycle, the lower the mill seems to be. On the left you can admire a beautiful, white house. Ignore all byways and continue on your way. Opposite the name sign Zonneputtragel, leave the Scheldedijk and follow the unpaved, but easily drivable Eggestraat. (1)
3. You are now on the territory of the city of Ghent. Along a fishing pond and between the meadows you reach a bridge, which you cross. Continue cycling until you reach the Hondelee and turn left here, in the direction of the bridge over the E17. We continue cycling towards Centrum, take the street Scheldehout on the left which we drive to the end, we meanwhile see the church in the distance, then to the right Blijpoel and so we arrive at the parking lots at the church of Zevergem. If you want to go back to Oudenaarde, follow the description of the route from "Ghent to Oudenaarde". (1) If you want to go to Ghent, cross the bridge, arrive in Zwijnaarde and then cycle on the E40 and the Ringvaart. After only 3 km you reach the city center.