The best walks and hikes in Daknamse Meersen

Open every day except Monday from 11:00 AM; on Mondays only from 5:00 PM.

On Friday, April 5, 1867, the Spletterenbrug was officially opened. Between Moerbeke and Lokeren, trains stopped in Daknam and Eksaarde. In Moerbeke, travelers could transfer to railway line 77 towards Zelzate or towards Sint-Gillis-Waas. That the intention was to one day double the 9-kilometer railway line to two tracks is still visible on the Spletterenbrug. Both bridge abutments are indeed twice as wide as the bridge deck itself. It never came to that. On the contrary. The railway line suffered during both world wars, causing traffic to be suspended for months. For example, retreating German soldiers blew up the bridge at the end of World War I. Less than a year after the armistice, in September 1919, the line was already restored and trains could run on the route again. In 1940, the Belgian army, in turn, tried to slow down the German advance by destroying the bridge. The bridge was repaired again. In 1971, the last train chugged along the route. After more than a century of train traffic, the tracks were dismantled and the route was redeveloped as a cycling and walking path from Lokeren to Moerbeke. The Spletterenbrug itself was preserved and restored in 2017. The seven layers of paint were removed, and the bridge regained its original, dark gray color. Source: industriecultuur.be

Before the throne of King Nobel stands Reynaert the Fox to the left. He was summoned multiple times, after accusations by various animals, especially by Isegrim the Wolf and Bruun the Bear. Cunning as he is, Reynaert always manages to escape appearing before the court. When he is nevertheless brought before the King by Grimbeert the Badger, the Fox proceeds to 'confess' and is sentenced to death. But the Fox also manages to cleverly escape this sentence with a fanciful story about a hidden treasure. Reynaert is granted a pardon, after which he departs on a 'pilgrimage'. He escapes the justice system once again.

Along the Catherinastraatje, about every 20 meters, you'll find a two-dimensional image made of corten steel of a figure from the story "Van den Vos Reynaerde": from Isegrim the wolf and Bruun the bear, via Coppe the hen and Cantecleer the rooster to Belijn the ram and Grimbeert the badger... and of course Reynaert the fox himself and King Nobel, the lion. At the end of the street, there is also the throne of King Nobel, a depiction of the trial in which Reynaert is being judged.

Wonderful how the legend of Reynaert the Fox lives on so strongly here that a real place is indicated as the spot where the hen Coppe, ultimately a fictional character, would be buried. (see the explanation that #Els gave earlier).

The Church of Our Lady of Daknam is a two-nave church, with the main nave dating from before 1156. The only side aisle was added on the south side in the 15th century. The pear spire from the 16th century was struck by lightning in 1614-15. In 1891, the church underwent a thorough restoration and expansion. Both the sacristy and the small front porch date from that time. In the 1960s, a new restoration followed. The church is surrounded by the cemetery with a low, brick and whitewashed wall. In a side facade, a very old visible wood carving scene can be seen (see photo). It depicts "souls praying and begging for deliverance from purgatory". In the Christian faith, purgatory is a kind of 'pre-stage' where souls are purified before they can enter heaven. Source: Inventory of Immovable Heritage

Daknambrug in Daknam, a sub-municipality of Lokeren. This charming swing bridge over the Durme is located at the site of a former ferry crossing on the old Lille-Tilburg highway. Such a ferry served as a bridge to transport people, livestock, horses, and vehicles. The current swing bridge has replaced a small wooden bridge since the 1930s. At that time, the Durme was straightened here between the confluence of the Zuidlede and Moervaart at Spletterenbrug and the bend near Middendam. In the summer, you can see the bridge keeper opening the bridge to let pleasure boats pass, sailing to or from Lokeren.

Den Hert is a forest with a pond and is part of the De Linie nature reserve. The area is managed by the non-profit organization Durme. The peep wall is an observation wall where you can observe and photograph birds up close. The wall was built with support from the Agency for Nature and Forests (ANB) and sponsor Natuurkijkers.be. Together with the surrounding forests, Den Hert forms a large, contiguous nature reserve (approximately 300 hectares). Since 2006, the area has been made more nature-friendly: exotic species were removed, several plane trees with tree hollows were left standing (a roost for woodpeckers and bats), and in 2015, the banks of the pond were modified. Steep banks were replaced with a gentler slope, and more light was introduced around the pond. Species including bulrush, cattail, and water lily now grow around the pond. In summer, this is a breeding ground for various waterfowl. In late summer, the water level is often low: ideal for kingfishers, which can then fish up close. On muddy banks, you can sometimes also spot wading birds or wagtails. In autumn and winter, many songbirds come to the feeding table. On the way to the viewing wall, you walk over a "rabat": a raised earthen strip, an old system for planting forests on wet ground. The viewing wall is accessible from August 15th to March 15th to give the animals a rest during the breeding season. Approach the viewing wall as quietly as possible. Dogs are left at the entrance.