The best MTB trails around Sint-Gillis-Waas

give gas on a narrow lane

The numbers of the border posts on the Belgian-Dutch border run upwards from border post number 1 at the Drielandenpunt in Vaals, to 369 near Retranchement. It's funny that neither the first nor the last post is actually on the border (the evolution of the Zwin is partly responsible for the last post). On almost all posts, the year 1843 is shown. Only in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen are there 7 border posts with a later year, which were placed after land reclamation. The posts are made of cast iron and weigh 372 kilograms. Each post is equipped with the Belgian Lion on the Belgian side and the Dutch Lion with sword and arrows on the other side. And each post has a number. The Belgian-Dutch border is 458 kilometers long. On average, the posts are therefore just over a kilometer apart. source: bestemmingbuitenlucht.nl/

The creek area of Saleghem is more than the sum of its parts. The nature reserve consists of the Grote Saleghemgeul on one side, and the Sint-Jakobsgat and the Kieldrechtse Watergang on the other. This triumvirate of water creeks then flows into the Grote Geule in Kieldrecht. Each separately is beautiful, yes. But together they are magical. The succession of gently sloping banks, grassland and hay, rare birds and colourful flowers, rustling reeds and melancholic willows: it silences a person. It inspires awe for the magic of nature. And everyone can enjoy it – even wheelchair users, because there is a special wheelchair walk around the creek lakes. This is what waasland.be writes... and there is nothing to contradict it.

On an information board on site, the history of the Stekense Vaart can be read. It began as early as 1315. Count Robrecht III of Béthune then gave the order to dig a canal from Ghent to Hulst. In Stekene, this new 'waterway' turned marshes into arable land and increased export opportunities. In 1556, many fields in Stekene were submerged for a long time. King Philip II of Spain therefore granted a charter for a direct connection to the Durme. In 1628, King Philip IV gave permission to extend the Stekense Vaart by 1300 meters to Hulst. This connected the Vaart to the Westerschelde, which was advantageous for trade. Hulst could thus also be supplied with war materials. South of Moerbeke, between 1637 and 1643, a new canal was dug connecting the Stekense Vaart with the Moervaart. Ships sailing between Ghent and Stekene no longer had to make a detour via the Spelonckvaart. After the Eighty Years' War ended in 1648, the connection with the Westerschelde was broken. The economic benefit of the Vaart was lost. The Vaart was dammed at Tromp in 1691. In 1853, the municipality of Stekene became the owner of the Vaart on the condition that it also be responsible for maintenance. In 1950, the Vaart was declared unnavigable. Wastewater from Sint-Niklaas caused pollution and a strong stench, here at the Quay. In 1953, a cross dam was built in the Durme in Lokeren. The tidal effect on the Stekense Vaart was thus a thing of the past. In 1964, a water treatment plant was commissioned in Sint-Niklaas. This significantly improved the water quality in the Stekense Vaart. In 1995, a water treatment plant was also built in Stekene. In 1998, the area around the Vaart was classified as a quiet area.

The Wullebos is located on a former sand drift ridge and is 69 hectares in size. The name comes from "wulle", meaning "long-eared owl". The Abelebeek and Wullebosbeek streams run through the forest, both in a northerly direction. The Papdijk, built in 1691, also runs through the area. A checkerboard pattern of avenues is present both in the forest and in the agricultural area to its south. It indicates reclamation in the second half of the 18th century. The agricultural area was deforested in the course of the 19th century, preserving the checkerboard structure. The Baggaarthof is located in the area, around which numerous ghost stories circulate. source: Wikipedia

An ideal stopping point on your cycling or hiking experience: Step back in time and discover a hidden piece of history: Fort Sint-Jacob. This fascinating remnant from the Eighty Years' War takes you back to a period when borders were still fought over and waterways made the difference between safety and danger. Located on the Passageule, this fort once formed a crucial link between the Spanish Netherlands and the States' territories. As part of the impressive States-Spanish Lines, Fort Sint-Jacob guarded the border and held back enemy infiltrations from the north. After the Peace of Münster, the fort lost its military function and slowly faded into obscurity. Nature took over, until around 2010 it was restored with care and respect for the past. Today, you can once again experience the contours of the past, including a replica of a cannon that symbolises the struggle that was once waged here. But Fort Sint-Jacob is more than just history. It is a place where peace and nature meet. The ramparts and moats now form a unique landscape where special plants and animals feel at home, typical of the brackish Zeeland area. Whether you are walking or cycling, this is an ideal place to pause, enjoy, and let yourself be carried away by the past. Let yourself be surprised and experience Fort Sint-Jacob for yourself.

Information about the Stadsmolen This grain mill was built in 1750 for the city council of Axel according to specifications by Pieter Telle. Contractors were Pieter Paulus and Jan Hoelands. This mill was built on the site of a wooden city mill that burned down in 1747. Axel has a rich history, but unfortunately much has disappeared due to the urge for renewal. This mill was dismantled to its shell in 1911, after which a mechanical mill (with two pairs of millstones) was set up inside. Around 1980, the first plans for a complete restoration were made, but it took some time before more happened. In 1995, the municipality bought the mill from Mr. Misseghers (who had been operating the mill for years). In 1998, the large-scale restoration started. First, the masonry was carefully restored and in some places completely renewed. The next step was the new stage. In the autumn of 1999, the cap, windshaft, tail and gears were mounted. The pair of 17-inch millstones comes from the mill in Ossenisse; the 16-inch English millstones come from a mechanical mill in St. Jansteen. A very remarkable historical component in this otherwise largely new mill is the windshaft, the PvO no. 616. This was ordered in 1869 for the lower mill of the southern three-stage gang of the Driemanspolder in Stompwijk (near the present-day Leidschendam), but disappeared from there as early as 1877, when this gang was demolished and replaced by a steam pumping station. Before ending up in Axel more than 120 years later, this windshaft served two other mills. Source: https://www.molens.nl/ontdek-molens/alle-molens/stadsmolen-te-axel

Beautiful cycle path between Hulst & Sint-Niklaas. Orchards alternate with meadows.