To the IJzermonding

Meet at the Kompas Camping V on the Brugse steenweg in Nieuwpoort, with ample parking. This walk also takes you over the grounds of 2 Kompas Campsites, so you can only follow them completely according to this description between April 1 and November 11. In winter you can walk around the camping sites on the left. Walk to the main building and then to the left. After the playground, take the second street on the right (nos. 499-523) and leave the site after 150 m via a gate. You are standing at the reservoir of the Yser. Walk to the left along the asphalt or go straight for 50 m and then to the left on a narrow path between the reservoir and a puddle with salt marshes and mudflats. After 800 m, cross the Yser via the Ypres Bridge. On the left is the Ganzepoot lock complex, where 6 waterways are also connected to the North Sea via the IJzermonding. From here, during WWI, the Yser Plain was flooded during the battle of the Yser to stop the advancing Germans. Ignore the exit to the marina and cross both the Creek of Nieuwendamme and the Plassendalevaart and walk to the right along the Plassendalevaart. After 750 m, stay on the asphalt and turn left. On the left is the Solar Park Electrawinds 1, where green energy is made with 3 windmills and almost 8,000 solar panels. Walk straight ahead into Steenstraat at the crossroads. On the right is the nature reserve De Schuddebeurze 2. To the left and right of the Steenstraat, the various holiday parks and villages follow each other. At the end of the Steenstraat, cross the steenweg (Lombardsijdelaan) and walk straight ahead into the Brempad. Then walk to the right in the Joseph Matthieulaan. Ignore the Olmenstraat and turn left into the Hovenierstraat, straight to Kompas Camping Westende 3. Here, just like in Nieuwpoort, you can go to the cafeteria from April to November on weekends and during the school holidays every day for a drink and a drink. Walk into the campsite in the far corner of the car park via a barrier. Stay on the main road, turn left and leave the site via the fence. Walk immediately to the right (Strandjuttersdreef) and on the Elizabethlaan straight ahead on a sandy path towards the beach. Focus on the overhead line of the tram along the Koninklijke Baan to follow the road through the dunes. Cross the N34 or Koninklijke Baan carefully and walk straight ahead, next to the Military Domain, to the beach. Now turn left for a nice 2 km walk on the beach. Leave the beach at the harbour channel and take a look at the beautiful pier. Then along the IJzer towards inland harbour. The road curves to the left and then to the right. On the left still the Military Domain and on the right the Nature Reserve IJzermonding 4. After 1.5 km, walk in a U-turn to the right on a dirt road (sign Westtoer 3) and after a pedestrian lock straight ahead. On the right you can observe the numerous water birds and even seals in a viewing hut. At the T-junction, turn right, then left and left again along the harbor with hundreds of pleasure boats. Stay along the water and turn right. After 600 m, at the end of the port, walk straight ahead on the Redanweg and cross the busy intersection 500 m further to the King Albert I monument 5. This war memorial was erected in honor of King Albert I and the Belgian troops in WWI and inaugurated on July 24, 1938. Leave the monument to the right and immediately walk to the left along the main road over the bridge over the Yser. Stay as close as possible to the water and cross the Veurnevaart and then also the Veurne-Ambacht Vaart to the left at the Veurnesluis. Finally, walk to the right towards Bruges back to the campsite. The stone road is busy, but the footpath is wide.