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Fort Oelegem – anti-tank canal loop from Sint-Antonius

Fort Oelegem – anti-tank canal loop from Sint-Antonius

Moderate

riders

Fort Oelegem – anti-tank canal loop from Sint-Antonius

03:19

60.0km

80m

Gravel riding

Moderate gravel ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: May 22, 2026

Tips

Cycling is not permitted along parts of this route

After 41.6 km for 175 m

After 50.6 km for 156 m

Waypoints

Start point

Bus stop

Get Directions

9.65 km

Provinciaal Domein Vrieselhof

Forest

12.7 km

Fort Oelegem

Highlight • Historical Site

The fort was built between 1909 and 1914 to prevent an invasion. After 1918, the fort was rebuilt, its weapons replaced, and its ventilation and emergency exits were adapted.

During World War II, the German Wehrmacht used the fort as a storage facility. After the liberation, it served the US Army as an anti-aircraft defense center against V1 rockets.

In 1947, the fort's military use finally ended, and it became private property.

Today, it is home to approximately 1,300 bats. On certain days and by appointment, you can visit it as part of a guided tour.

Translated by Google •

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13.8 km

Cycling along the Anti-Tank Canal

Highlight • River

It started as a military structure, but it is now an attractive natural ribbon that invites you to walk, cycle, relax and explore. The Antitankgracht dates from just before the Second World War. He was once part of a whole network of defense lines, fortresses and bunkers around Antwerp. After the war, nature took over from the military. Very special places were created with a great diversity of plants and animals. Many species that found their permanent home here have often become rare in other places in Flanders. The Antitankgracht is a real "animal highway" that ensures that animals move from one nature reserve to another. In addition to the beautiful nature, there is of course also the impressive military heritage in the immediate vicinity of the canal: fortresses, bunkers and all kinds of buildings that served a military purpose at the time.

Translated by Google •

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17.1 km

Antitank Canal

Highlight • River

The Antitankgracht was constructed just before the Second World War to stop German tanks. Fortunately, that is no longer necessary today, but it does provide us with a nice location to cycle through.

Translated by Google •

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22.4 km

Hof ter Linden

Forest

33.2 km

Peerdsbos

Nature Reserve

33.9 km

Forest Stream in Peerdsbos

Highlight • River

Pleasant cycling ... not really MTB, more touring bike / gravel.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

40.8 km

De Inslag

Nature Reserve

41.7 km

Antitankgracht

Lake

43.6 km

Bike path through De Inslag

Highlight • Cycleway

Here you can make great speed between the trees. It is a beautiful, peaceful environment where you can fully recharge.

Translated by Google •

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44.7 km

Antitank Ditch Antwerp

Highlight • River

Today, its function has shifted from military defense ditch to 'defender of nature and landscape', a unique landscape element, along which you can cycle and walk almost endlessly. Moreover, as a large nature connection area, the Antitankgracht also contributes to the migration of animals and plants.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

47.9 km

anti-tank canal

Highlight • Structure

In the 1930s, near an extensive network of trenches from World War I, soldiers dug a canal in a quarter circle around Antwerp. The canal was between 6 and 18 meters wide, 2 meters deep and no less than 33 kilometers long, from Zandvliet to Oelegem.

The anti-tank canal was to stop the advance of German tanks and other rolling stock towards Antwerp. However, the enemy came from the other side...

The canal and its banks have since evolved into a green connection between different nature reserves. Plants and animals now easily make the crossing to another nature reserve. Some parts of the original canal have disappeared due to the expansion of the harbor and the construction of highways.

The remains of the canal are now invaluable as a moat. Several fortresses and many bunkers were built along the canal. They have been serving as a comfortable hibernation place for bats for some time now. The calcareous concrete of the fortresses is also very useful for the growth of mosses, ferns and many other plants.

Translated by Google •

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49.6 km

Antitankgracht – Green ribbon around the city of Antwerp

Highlight • River

The Antwerp Antitankgracht is an artificial watercourse that forms a large quarter circle around the city of Antwerp.
The moat has a length of about 33 km and is at least 6 meters wide. It connects the Scheldt near Berendrecht with the Albert Canal in Oelegem

Translated by Google •

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60.0 km

End point

Bus stop

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

22.4 km

14.6 km

9.00 km

8.70 km

5.14 km

143 m

Surfaces

19.4 km

17.1 km

14.9 km

7.27 km

1.01 km

398 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Weather

Monday 13 July

32°C

17°C

0 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 16.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

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Fort Oelegem – anti-tank canal loop from Sint-Antonius

Fort Oelegem

Cycling along the Anti-Tank Canal

Antitank Canal

Forest Stream in Peerdsbos

Bike path through De Inslag

Antitank Ditch Antwerp

anti-tank canal

Antitankgracht – Green ribbon around the city of Antwerp

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