Watermills Route

When viewed from the north or east, the Zwalm region forms the gateway to the Flemish Ardennes. The region and the municipality owe their name to the small river Zwalm, which springs near Vloesberg and flows into the Schelde in Nederzwalm. Together with its tributaries, the Zwalm has shaped a landscape with numerous small valleys.
The municipality of Zwalm was created in 1977 following the merger of twelve villages: Beerlegem, Dikkele, Hundelgem, Meilegem, Munkzwalm, Nederzwalm-Hermelgem, Paulatem, Roborst, Rozebeke, Sint-Blasius-Boekel, Sint-Denijs-Boekel, and Sint-Maria-Latem.
The watermills in the Zwalm catchment area have a history that is almost ten centuries old. The original mills were built under the influence of the abbeys of Sint-Baafs (Ghent) and Sint-Salvator (Ename). For centuries, they were the only industrial activity. Today, the remaining mills play an important role in tourism, and some of them house restaurants.
A multi-gear bicycle is recommended for this route. Those who want to climb the Molenberg with a single-gear bike will likely have to put their foot down, unless a new Lucien Van Impe has risen. While exploring the valley of the Zwalm, a tributary of the Schelde, one cycles past seven watermills.
In the landscape, one also sees numerous impressive farms with names like Hof ter Weyleghem or Grootveldhoeve. Perhaps the tranquil villages scattered throughout the landscape leave an even greater impression. Their presence is often revealed only by the emergence of a church tower.