Cycling around Helkijn

Helkijn is a village on the West Flemish Scheldt on the linguistic border. This tour explores the open countryside between the Scheldt and Kortrijk. You first cycle along the banks of the Scheldt to Bossuit. Here you pass the large lock complex where the Kortrijk-Bossuit Canal flows into the Scheldt. You then slowly take the height towards Sint-Denijs and Zwevegem. The view sometimes stretches for miles.

1. With the church of Helkijn (Helchin) on your left, you start. Take the first street on the left, the Bailiwickweg and follow it to the Scheldt. Left. You cycle under the Pont de Pottes and continue pedaling along the Scheldt to the Bossuit-Kortrijk canal. Take the narrow climbing trail parallel to the lock and pass the pumping station where the tourist office is located to the main road, the Doorniksesteenweg. Turn left, pass the church until you can turn right into Bouvriestraat. Pass Bossuit Castle and turn left onto the T. You are still in the Bouvriestraat. Follow the Bouvriestraat on the right and cycle straight until you reach the Heerlijkheid van Bouvriehoeve. In front of this imposing farmhouse is a beautiful chapel. The road splits. Stay left and cycle along the farm. You are now following the Boeveriestraat. Cross a bike path built on an old railway track and continue cycling until you reach a T. Follow the bike path on the right and you will enter the territory of Moen. In the distance you can see the Kluisberg. Then take the first street on the left, Bavegemstraat. The road goes down and in a slightly tighter bend you do not follow the Bavegemstraat on the right, but continue straight on Broekenhoek. Be careful because there are now a number of divisions in a row! After a farm and a white house, choose right at the first crossroads and the next left. A little further, the road divides again and you choose left again. You now follow the Comminnestraat and at the next fork you ignore Achterhoek on the left and continue to follow the Comminnestraat straight. Pass the impressive Duykingsberg farm and skip all the side streets. Follow this hilly road with a beautiful white chapel to the end. Across the road is a beautiful pond behind the trees. Turn left into Kastanjeboomstraat and continue straight until you reach the end. Here you choose to turn left and then drive to the fork to the Drie Linden farm with chapel. Turn right and a little further at the restaurant Trekteurken, take the Vinkestraat on the left, direction Sint-Denijs.
2. After a steep climb you arrive at a chapel (1873). Enjoy the beautiful panorama here and take the Beerbosstraat on the right. In a garden on the left is a miniature mill and across the street, a little to the back, is the stone windmill Ter Klare. The mill is located at the highest point of the region (76 m above sea level) and was part of the Ter Claerefort, a strategic stronghold. Pass the small Beerbos and on the T, take the Zandbeekstraat on the left. Follow this endless and gently sloping road with beautiful chapels, although its name changes to Kaveiestraat. Cross the Kooigem–Moen road and follow the Kaveiestraat past an 1889 farm. You get to a five jumps with a round point. Continue to follow the Kaveiestraat straight, first through a residential area, then back through fields. Just before a white chapel, you cross the old railway line again and continue straight.
3. After a bend, you pass the Spiere-Helkijn sign and cross the Gaverstraat between fields and meadows passing a chapel and some old farms. After another turn, you pedal directly to the large farm 't Wit Hof. But you won't go that far, because in the next corner you take the Gaverddreef on the left. Follow it to the Doorniksteenweg. Cross it carefully and follow the bike path on the other side on the left. Ignore a street on the right and, 100 m further, take a narrow tiled path through the field. At the end, follow the street on the right. Turn left with this road and you will return to the church of Helkijn.