©David Samyn
The castles and luxurious villas in and around Destelbergen, at a stone’s throw from Ghent, are silent witnesses of the rich history of this municipality along the banks of the river Scheldt. The Castles cycle route takes you to these magnificent “country houses” but also past charming villages, castle parks and shaded avenues.
This cycle route goes past the castles of Destelbergen, Heusden, Laarne, Beervelde and Lochristi. The star attraction is Laarne castle, a moated fortress dating back to the Middle Ages and housing an impressive art collection.
The route also takes you through the park and nature reserve Gentbrugse Meersen and the nature reserve Kalkense Meersen. The Damvallei lake, the place to spot numerous water birds, is also on the route, as are the many greenhouses of local florists.
Cycling through the beautiful vast landscape on a sunny day is truly a delight.
In Dutch: includes a map. Download the route as gpx here.
Chateau route
Available in digital format.
The information continues beneath the illustrations.
