Top 16 Lakes around Knesselare

A very large forest with various amenities, including a tea room and restaurant. There's also a herb garden and a farm where you can buy ice cream.

Where the Schipdonk Canal crosses the Ghent-Ostend Canal lies a small island. Although some residents of Merendree live "on the Island," it is uninhabited. After all, "the Island" is also the name of a street on the left bank of the Schipdonk Canal. The actual island is a miniature nature reserve: nature has been allowed to run its course here for decades. A walking path has been created around the island ('Rijkeplas', the same name as a section of the riverside path on the left bank of the Ghent-Ostend Canal), which during the summer months is dominated by the yellow of ragwort (a poisonous plant dangerous to cattle and horses; it is therefore controlled in pastures) and, here and there, the bright blue of wild chicory. The island resembles a rabbit paradise. It's almost impossible not to see one hopping away.

After the Tillegembos (Bruges) and the Palingbeek (Ypres), the Lippensgoed-Bulskampveld became the third provincial domain of West Flanders. In 1970, 201 ha of forest, agricultural land, park, castle and associated farms were purchased and opened to the public after construction and development. The Lippensgoed-Bulskampveld was the largest public domain in West Flanders for a long time. In the 1980s, the castle garden was transformed into a didactic herb garden and the exhibition of agricultural materials in galleries around the herb garden was established. In 1990, one of the leased farms within the provincial domain became available. In order to increase the recreational opportunities, various afforestations were carried out there and new avenues were created. With an additional acquisition of 17 ha in 1992, the surface area was increased to 218 ha. About 10 years later, in 2003, 6 ha of St-Amandus were rented and integrated into the existing domain via an educational nature trail. Finally, in 2005, about 8 ha of forest were purchased and added to the public domain, bringing the total to 232 ha. (Province of West Flanders)

A boardwalk over a large pond: fun guaranteed. And a beautiful panorama.

beautiful boardwalk, recently renovated, and beautiful view

Two weeks after my previous visit, the cracked electricity pylon, which can be seen in the photos from that time, was removed. ... more than three months after the accident that caused the mast to break: in the morning of February 22, 2024, a ship with a crane on the Lovaart had hit several high-voltage cables. This mast, here in the Durmeersen, was also dragged away and broke...

A "fallen" electricity pylon stands out as a strange element in an otherwise green environment. The immediate vicinity of that mast was recently felled.

Small and beautiful nature reserve of 11 hectares, managed by the Nature and Forest Agency. Sand used to be mined here. This sand extraction left behind two wells, which have since grown into valuable ponds. These ponds are a stopping place for numerous water birds, especially in winter and spring. The kingfisher and the tufted duck, among others, breed here. Three bird hides offer you a nice hiding place to watch the birds undisturbed. This nature reserve developed spontaneously after sand extraction and the raising of large parts of it. The Oude Kale flows at the edge of the area. The Ghent-Bruges canal runs parallel to this stream. On the other side, the area is bordered by the Ringvaart. A 1.3 kilometer hiking trail meanders through the nature reserve. Along the way you will most likely encounter grazers: sheep and ponies. https://www.natuurenbos.be/natuurgebieden/durmmeresen