The best running trails around Grote Geule

Our Lady's chapel on the corner of Lange Nieuwstraat and Groenendam. The chapel and especially the statue of Mary have clearly suffered from the ravages of time. Next to the chapel is a sign with a poem by Leo Vercruyssen, "Lieve Vrouwe van de Polder". Leo Vercruyssen (1922-1999) was a pastor in Meerdonk for over twenty years (1973-1994) and was also known as a poet and cultural figure. source: sint-gillis-waas.be

The bench and information board are located at the eastern end of a four-kilometer-long low sand ridge that connects Kieldrecht with De Klinge. Due to its higher elevation, this sand ridge is less susceptible to flooding than the surrounding areas. This also made it of great military importance during the various wars of the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. We therefore find several old forts and lines on the sand ridge: fort De Klinge (1595), fort Fuentes (1591, renamed fort Spinola in 1626), the Koningsdijk (1674), and fort Bedmar (1701-1702). In 1701, the Spanish army decided to build a new fort north of Kieldrecht. The fort was built on the spot where the Koningsdijk met the sand ridge of the so-called Kouter(berg). The new defensive work was named after the Fleming Prosper Georges Verboom, an important officer in the Spanish army and one of the engineers of the Bedmar line. The fort served in the War of the Spanish Succession (1702-1714). As early as 1703, it was captured by the army of the Republic of the United Netherlands, the so-called 'Staatsen'. After the war, the fort lost its military importance and almost completely disappeared into the landscape. Fort Verboom has a triangular shape, deviating from the usual four- or five-sided fort construction. The point of the fort is directed north, and thus straight at the enemy. The southern side is equipped with two pentagonal bastions. The entrance to the fort is located between the two bastions. Fort Verboom is quite large. The distance between the two bastion points is approximately 250 meters. The size of a fort is determined by the range of the cannons. The defensive belt is formed by a glacis (a gently sloping strip), a moat, and an earthen rampart. The fort is entirely constructed of earth, as was customary for forts of this period. Earth is a cheaper building material than stone. Furthermore, an earthen fort can be built faster than a stone one and is more resistant to heavy cannonballs. Today, Fort Verboom has largely disappeared, and the site has been completely incorporated into the built environment. The fort lies right on the national border, with its point in the Netherlands and its southern side with the two bastions in Belgium. Remnants of the moats can still be seen in some backyards. ... so reads the information board.

The Sint-Jozefkerk of Nieuw Namen was taken into use in 1860, shortly after the founding of the village. In 1898 the church was expanded, in 1912 a new tower was built, and in 1923 the side aisles were extended. In front of the church is a bronze Sacred Heart statue from around 1920, made by P. de Roeck. source: Wikipedia

A 'weel' (also called 'wiel' or 'kolk') is a deep pool of water that originated after a dike breach. The enormous force of the water during such a breach created a deep hole behind the dike, which often remained in the landscape as a mere or pool after the dike was repaired. Such 'welen' often develop into valuable nature reserves. The Grote and Kleine Weel form an important link between the nature reserves Grote Geule and Drijdijck. The Grote Geule is an offshoot of the former, much larger Land van Saeftinghe. source: natuurpunt.be

beautiful view over the Polders

The Saleghem creeks form a tranquil and enchanting nature reserve with ponds, reed beds, grasslands, and ancient willows. The combination of the Grote Saleghemgeul, the Sint-Jakobsgat, and the Kieldrechtste Watergang makes this a unique spot for those seeking peace and quiet and nature lovers. Keep your eyes peeled, as various rare birds are on the horizon!

Beautiful quiet route on a long dike!

Fortifications along the way: you are just walking from one to another and another again: Bedmar - Spinola - Verboom....