Undulating around Okegem

This is rural Flanders, wonderfully quiet and with winding roads in an undulating landscape. We cycle near Ninove. We take it easy and enjoy a delicious traditional ice cream on the terrace of farm Van den Bossche in Aaigem after about fifteen kilometers. This village is the hometown of cabaret artist and singer Jan De Wilde, known for songs such as 'The fanfare of hunger and thirst' and 'There is spring'.

1. Appointment at the church of Okegem. You leave through the Fonteinstraat, towards junction 84, and also follow a part of the Schiptrekkersroute. Where it becomes 'dead end', you keep cycling straight until you reach the railway crossing between the greenery. Do not cross it, but turn right and follow the narrow asphalt path, parallel to the railway through the Molenbeekmeersen nature reserve. The path becomes unpaved and you follow it until the next railway crossing. You'll cross it now. Continue cycling along a gravel road between the meadows to the inhabited world of Denderleeuw.
2. After the Molenbeekstraat and a short stretch of the N405 to the left, turn right into the Bakergemveldbaan, gently up a wide concrete road. On the right you see the church of Iddergem. Leave the Enestraat on the right and continue cycling on a road for agricultural vehicles, through a pleasant agricultural landscape. At junction 84, turn right, towards 81, winding and gently undulating through a beautiful, soothing landscape. You cycle past the entrance (between the meadows) of brasserie De Specht and the agglomeration sign of Iddergem. At the end of the Spechtbaan turn right until you reach a square.
3. The Schiptrekkersroute turns left here. Our route goes straight ahead and at the fork (without signage) you continue cycling straight through the street with one-way traffic. You cross the first intersection and then take the next street on the right until you reach the church of Iddergem. Then turn left, past tavern 't Oud Gemeentehuis and then left, into the Kerpelstraat, until the end. Cross the Hoogstraat at a modern chapel and continue your way through the Kloosterstraat.
4. With panorama Beyond the last houses it continues undulating between meadows and fields. Opposite a sturdy linden tree with a cross in a 'booth' is a sign with 'Save our coulter'. After a short climb you can enjoy a beautiful 360° panorama. The Schiptrekkersroute turns right here. Keep cycling straight ahead and enjoy the beautiful landscape. At junction 81, at a white and blue chapel, turn left, direction 82. Don't worry about side roads and follow this quiet road between meadows and fields to the end. Then turn left, direction Denderhoutem until you reach the busy Expressway between Ninove and Aalst.
5. Cross it at the traffic lights and then follow the gently rising road on the right, parallel to the N45. After 500 m turn away from the Expressway. The road becomes hollow for a moment and you return to civilization. At the end of this road you reach junction 82. Turn left, direction 87. After a short climb, take a road with limited traffic on the right and cycle back into the open landscape, with another 360° panorama. At the end of the road for agricultural traffic you come back into civilization and cycle past the end-agglomeration sign of Denderhoutem. It continues on a narrow concrete road with a fair amount of traffic, past the agglomeration sign of Haaltert and a chapel with tower bell from 1849.
6. At junction 87 you cycle straight ahead, direction 42. You can cycle on a road again for agricultural traffic, cyclists, walkers and horse riders. It goes up considerably, the road is first unpaved, then paved again, but is then in poor condition and you have to navigate between the pits. Cross a street and keep climbing on a road for agricultural traffic, which is just as bad. You arrive at the busy N460. On the right is the agglomeration sign of Kerksken. Turn left, past the end-agglomeration sign of Kerksken and then together with the Molenbeekroute turn right into the Boekentstraat. You drive past the agglomeration sign of Haaltert and it goes gently downhill through a residential zone until you can turn left into a road with limited traffic. Now, while descending, you can enjoy a beautiful landscape. After a bend, you can even cycle at a height above the landscape next to it.
7. At café in Aaigem At the idyllically located junction 42, where several signposted routes pass, you cycle straight ahead, towards 40. At the beautiful Aaigemdries with the beautiful yellow Hoeve Van den Bossche, worth a stop, turn left, direction Aaigem. The signage takes you to the church of Aaigem with café Miranda and 't Aygems café without any problems. Turn left here, direction Woubrechtegem. At junction 40 you choose 34, in Woubrechtegem. Now to junction 43, direction Sint-Antelinks. Behind the church of this place is an orientation table with a beautiful view of the Dender valley and the Oudenberg (if the hedge has been pruned).
8. At junction 43 take the left and after 100 m turn right the Knotwilgenstraat, direction 44. You don't have to give stairs to that junction, it goes without saying. At junction 44 turn right, direction 95. At the first intersection, follow Zuurstraat to the left. The road becomes unpaved and gently goes up. Between meadows and fields you continue cycling to the busy N8. On the other side you continue cycling through the Zuurstraat until you reach the next busy road. You follow it on a separate cycle path to the right until you can turn left into the Lavaanstraat before the centre of Voorde. Past a few houses and a chapel you go back into the fields, over Paris-Roubaix cobblestones. At the first intersection, take the gravel road on the right.
9. You cycle around the castle and church of Voorde and then continue between some orchards to the N45. Cross it and cycle to the center of Appelterre. Turn right at the church, direction station. Just before the level crossing turn left, direction windmill. You cycle past the Wildermolen (1801) between the meadows to Eichem. At the junction at house no. 188 there is no signage. Follow the Eichemstraat to the right. You leave the church and cross the railway further on.
10. Along the Dender Then turn left and cross the Dender, via a bridge for pedestrians and cyclists. On the other side you are in Pollare and at junction 95. Follow the winding Dender on the narrow towpath towards 91. In Ninove you reach junction 91, on 't Oeverstekske, the charming crossing bridge for pedestrians and cyclists. Continue to follow the Dender, direction 86. Beware in Ninove for the dangerously placed flower boxes, which must separate the cycle path from the roadway. Beware of oncoming traffic!
11. After an industrial zone on the other bank you arrive in Roosdaal and there is 'de Dikken van Pamel' and you are at junction 86 and brasserie-ice cream parlour 't Pleintje. Even now you continue to follow the Dender, towards junction 85, at the bridge in Okegem. Cross it and continue cycling towards 84 to the church.