Attractions and Places To See in Bourgoyen-Ossemeersen - Top 10

A true hiking paradise. Bourgoyen-Ossemeersen is famous for its rich bird population and is an important bird reserve. While hiking, you can spot various bird species, especially in the winter months, when the area is a refuge for numerous migratory birds. Species that you can encounter include grey herons, ducks, sea eagles and birds of prey such as the hawk and buzzard. In spring and summer, the area is also rich in breeding birds, such as the redstart and the common teal.

The Bourgoyen-Ossemeersen Urban Nature Reserve in Ghent is a vast and water-rich nature reserve, ideal for nature lovers who want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. This unique marshland offers a beautiful landscape of grasslands, reed beds and ponds, where numerous water birds breed and forage. With well-maintained hiking trails and viewpoints, it is a wonderful place to walk and spot birds, in the middle of nature.

The Bourgoyen-Ossemeersen is best known for the large numbers of waterfowl. These birds find their home in the flooded grasslands. The area is therefore not only very popular with runners and walkers, bird watchers are also frequent visitors.

The Bourgoyen was once a difficult to access marshy area. A windmill was even needed to pump away the excess water. On the site of the current octagonal Hoosmolen, there was already an octagonal wooden drainage mill before 1500 that drove a scoop wheel. In 1866, the mill cross was removed and a steam engine was installed. From 1945, the drive was done by an electric motor. The square chimney of the steam engine was demolished. The mill plays a more modest role today. Weirs now ensure that the water is removed from the Bourgoyen. The mill occasionally pumps the excess water into the Leie. Between 2000 and 2004, the city of Ghent had the mill renovated, whereby the mill is once again accessible to the top via a spiral staircase. The pump has been demonstratively put back into operation after a standstill of more than 20 years. Information panels are installed in the hull that show the history and technology of the pumping station. The mill is open to the general public for one afternoon every month. Group visits are possible by appointment. For reservations, tel. 09 226 15 01

The Boeboek family backpack for families with children from 5 years old. The route for experiencing nature with children runs for about 2 km and is easily accessible with an all-terrain buggy. You can borrow the backpack free of charge from the reception in the Jan Hublé Nature Center, or can be reserved by telephone on 09 323 57 01.

De Hoosmolen is a polder mill or dewatering mill on the edge of the Bourgoyen-Ossemeersen nature reserve in Drongen, a borough of the Belgian city of Ghent. The mill can be found in notarial deeds as early as 1316, making it the oldest known of its kind. Most likely there was already a mill in the 12th century that ensured the drainage of Bourgoyen-Ossemeersen, whereby the excess water was discharged via the Grijtgracht (formerly called Rietgracht) into the higher Lys. After the troubled times in the first half of the 16th century, the mill was rebuilt in 1597 as a wooden octagonal ground sailer, which was replaced in 1701 by a stone one (the current octagonal hull) commissioned by David Brandt, Lord of Mariakerke. In 1852 wind power was replaced by a steam engine and a tall square chimney was erected. Around 1860, hood and runway were removed from the mill. The paddle wheel was replaced in 1897 by the still existing Phoenix centrifugal pump. In 1945 they switched to electric drive. In 2016, the Lys is locally cut off from its upper course. From the autumn, the rainwater is no longer drained. In this way the area is flooded and the former flooding of the Lys is simulated. Only from March is the water slowly drained through sluices and the pump installation in the old Hoosmolen. Source: Wikipedia

1 of the 2 viewing huts in the nature reserve Bourgoyen-Ossemeersen.

In the nature center you will find walking maps, you can rent binoculars and you can enjoy an organic drink in the café. Gageleer is also served here, a beer brewed according to an ancient natural recipe. You can also become a member of Natuurpunt here.