The best walks and hikes around Hamme

De Koning Albertdijk is a crucial hydraulic relic that illustrates the transformation of the Scheldepolder of Moerzeke-Kastel. Before the twentieth century, this inner dike was largely known as the Kleine Broekdijk. The polders between Kastel and Moerzeke had been systematically diked since the Middle Ages (13th century) by, among others, the monks of the Saint Bernard Abbey. The Kleine Broekdijk then served as an internal compartmentalization dike to protect the lower-lying hinterland (the 'Broek') if the outer Scheldt dike failed. The flood of 1928–1929 brought an update. On the night of November 25–26, 1928, the region was hit by a catastrophic storm surge. The Scheldt dike failed in several places in Moerzeke and Kastel. More than 10,000 inhabitants in the region were severely affected by the icy river water. The flood proved that the existing polder dikes were inadequate. The government decided to completely scale up the Kleine Broekdijk: it was raised into a robust two-to-three-meter-high inner dike and largely straightened to also serve as a connecting road. As a tribute to King Albert I, who after the floods of 1906 and the war years symbolized the reconstruction and support for the polder communities, the renewed sleeping dike was renamed De Koning Albertdijk.

The former tidal water mill on the Oude Durme in Hamme is a historical gem with a rich history. Located in the beautiful Durmemeersen, this unique location has been transformed from a water mill into a popular catering establishment.

The Ringdijk near the public parking lot forms the guideline through the historic economic landscape of De Bunt. De Bunt and its history in a nutshell: in the 19th century, until around 1830, peat was extracted on a large scale. The resulting peat pits gave the area its marshy character with the characteristic ponds and streams. Between 1880 and 1930, De Bunt was essential for the local rope industry. In the wide canals, hemp was retted, a process where the plants were placed in the water to loosen the fibers for the production of rope and yarn.

Ideal free parking to leave your car. Driegoten is the ideal base to discover the Scheldeland region on foot or by bike, where waterways, dikes, and country roads cross in a landscape full of tranquility and history. In this special place, the Durme river surrenders to the Scheldt — an interplay of water that has formed the backdrop for life, trade, and stories for centuries. Driegoten was once a fiercely contested piece of Flemish land; today, silence and space prevail. Only the wind seems to challenge those who brave the dikes here. From Driegoten, countless opportunities depart to explore the region: along winding towpaths, hidden nature reserves, and charming villages along the Scheldt. A place where every tour begins with a sense of freedom.

The Gespoelde Put in Moerzeke (Hamme) is a historic fishing pond and nature reserve that originated after a catastrophic dike breach. Topographically, the pond is a so-called 'wiel' or 'kreek'. The fishing pond is a so-called wiel or kolk. This is a typical relic of a historical flood. Today, the pond, together with the surrounding polder of the Grootbroek, forms a valuable nature and hiking area managed within the Scheldt Valley. More info at https://www.effenweg.be/events/hamme---gespoelde-put-en-grootbroek-7-5-km

Walking amidst nature, less accessible / muddy after heavy rain

inauguration 1930 for the protection of Moerzeke residents - floods

nature reserve