Text and photo Mark Dedapper

This walk leads you through polders and along creeks to the Ostend city edge forest, a young multifunctional forest, which is still being expanded and should eventually cover 150 ha. The Sint-Annakerk in Stene, a white-painted church with gable roofs, is one of the oldest places of worship on the Belgian coast. The oldest parts date from the 13th century, the turret from 1675. ● Departure at the church (V), Stenedorpstraat, opposite house number 29 (restaurant Vossenhol). By public transport take bus 5 – stop Stene Dorp at ostend station. With your back to the church, turn right into Stenedorpstraat. This street forms a protected village view and has many restaurants. Before restaurant De Vlasschaard take the walking path on the right along the mill of Stene from 1853 (1). This mill, which lost its blades during a storm in 1927, is now used as an exhibition space. ● Past the cemetery you turn right and shortly afterwards turn left into the Schorrestraat. You walk past the Vogelzangpark with remains of the field battery Stene from the Second World War (2). At the next intersection, take klemskerkestraat on the left. At the next triple jump you take the smaller road on the right (Wijnendale Cycle Route). ● Just past a bend with a white house, turn right onto the field road. On the right in front of you you notice a well-preserved cast iron geodesic signal from 1853 (3). After 400 meters you get concrete under your feet again and follow the Schorredijkstraat to the left. After the first farm take the field road on the left. This turns into a narrow path. At the end you ascend to the Groene 62, an old railway bed between Ostend and Torhout, which you follow to the left (4). The last train ran there until 1967. ● After some time you get a magnificent view over the Sluiskreek and the Zoutekreek (information board). About 300 meters further, well past a branch to the track, you turn left – carefully – down the somewhat hidden narrow earthen steps and continue straight on the footpath that zigzags between meadows and fields. ● Just before the Gistelsesteenweg, take the unpaved path parallel to the track on the left. At the next intersection, carefully cross the stone road and enter the Grintweg, direction Zandvoorde. After 200 meters, in a bend of the road, turn left into the city edge forest (5). Attention: immediately take the path to the right (so not straight ahead). You will pass a spacious picnic area. Follow the winding forest path and ignore a path on the right twice. Just outside the higher forest growth you turn right with the path, between the high forest and a younger extensive native forest. A little past the birth forest, take the initially wide grass path to the left – so don't turn with the main path to the right! Further on you walk along a small creek. ● At the head of the creek, ignore a path to the right and continue in the same direction. After about 150 meters, the path turns away from the creek. At the end, go up the steps and take the path to the left. At a crossroads of forest paths, turn right. You will soon arrive at the narrow Gouwelozekreek, which you follow to the left. Once back on the stone road, you cross the creek on the right and immediately afterwards cross the road on the left and continue following the creek on the other side on a grassy path through an open landscape. ● Where the creek turns left (nice view over the polders), you continue straight ahead following the grass path. At a water underpass, turn right until you reach asphalt. Cross the street diagonally left and take the pedestrian bridge to the petting zoo De Lange Schuur (6). On a gravel road, turn left. Then take the first path to the right. You arrive at the farm with drinking facilities. Turn left here until you come before the new cycling track. Follow the grass path on the left at the foot of the slopes. You come to a gravel road, which you follow to the right until you reach the village of Stene. On the left you will again come to your starting point at the church.