Top 20 Lakes around Moerbeke

Het Groot Eiland has something mysterious about it — a place where water and land merge and nature truly runs its course. Creeks embrace the central, secluded area, giving the landscape an almost magical atmosphere. In the southeast, you'll find a quiet walking path that leads you to the so-called 8th Shortcut. A little further west, a pleasant surprise awaits: a bird hide from Staatsbosbeheer. From here, you have a panoramic view of the creeks, meadows, and forest edges — a perfect spot to pause and enjoy. With a bit of luck, you might see a buzzard or a marsh harrier soaring gracefully above the fields. In spring, it buzzes with life here: lapwings, curlews, and oystercatchers perform their courtship displays, while the song of reed warblers and perhaps even grasshopper warblers can be heard from the reeds. An ideal place for those who love tranquility, nature, and a touch of wonder.

Just a fifteen minute walk from Lokeren station you are already in this 20 hectare nature reserve on the left bank of the Durme. It also merges into the spontaneously overgrown Verloren Bos with its remnants of drifting dunes.

The Hamputten is, in addition to the Molsbroek, the Hagemeersen and the Molsbergen, one of the four sub-areas of the 122-hectare Groot Molsbroek, in which an alternation of marsh, forest, reed fields, grasslands, river dunes and open water creates a mosaic of landscape types. This combination forms the ideal habitat for many plants and animals, including the bittern, which finds an ideal habitat here where it can hunt mice, fish, frogs and insects. This rare bird is present in the area every year, especially during the winter. But it is also (based on planned works in the management plan) designated as a breeding bird. This heron has a yellow-brown plumage with a dark brown pattern and is thus perfectly camouflaged to hide between the reeds. Source: information board on site

When you think of nature in Lokeren, you often think of the Groot Molsbroek. It is a fairly large nature reserve (122 hectares) by Flemish standards, with optimal accessibility. The walking dike offers a beautiful view of the diverse nature: an extensive marshland with numerous water birds, alder swamps, river dunes, reed fields and wet grasslands. On the walking dike you will find 8 information boards, 3 free to use fixed binoculars, a 24/7 information point, a viewing box with stereo slides, an insect garden with a barefoot path and in the winter a viewing wall at the winter feeding place.

The Buylaers is a nature reserve located on the river Durme, managed by vzw Durme, in the center of the Belgian city of Lokeren. The nature reserve consists mainly of marshy reed fields. Every year a pair of storks comes to breed on the stork pole.

Scottish Highlanders

Groot Eiland (not to be confused with Het Eiland) is an estate and a nature reserve in the municipality of Hulst in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen in the Netherlands. The Groot Eiland estate is privately owned. Groot Eiland consists of some agricultural land, a house, several creeks such as De Auwel, a large forest and a small forest. The small forest is located on a piece of land that is also called the Hulster Vlak. The estate is surrounded by a dike and is connected to the city of Hulst by the Oude Vaart. North of Groot Eiland are the former battery Luntershoek and the hamlet of Luntershoek of the same name. More information at https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groot_Eiland

The Groot Eiland always has a somewhat magical sound. Creeks enclose the central area which is privately owned. In the southeastern part there is a walking path up to the so-called 8th Shortening. A little more to the west, a bird observation hut has been built on the grounds of Staatsbosbeheer. From there you have a beautiful view over the creeks, meadows and forests of the Groot Eiland. It is not uncommon for buzzards or harriers to hover above the meadows and in the spring lapwings, black-tailed godwits and oystercatchers are busy with courtship. Reed warbler, reed warbler and maybe grasshopper warbler can be heard from the reeds. (Zealand)