The best gravel rides in Hobokense Polder

The Frans Coppens after whom this wooden arched bridge over the Stekense Vaart was named was receiver-registrar in the municipality of Sinaai for almost a quarter of a century. He played an important role in "de Groote Watering van Sinay", the name given to the project started by the Boerenbond in 1926. That project arose after repeated floods, and aimed to make the polders 'dry'. The establishment of the pumping station near Hondsnest was one of the first achievements within that project. During the Second World War, the unemployed were employed to clean or widen ditches. Under the impetus of dike reeve Jozef "meester" Maes and... receiver-registrar Frans Coppens (!), major sanitation works were carried out in the 1960s, which continued in the following decades. For example, Hondsnest received a new pumping station in 1975. In the meantime, the watering had been transformed into a polder following the law on polders of June 3, 1957. source: info file "Polder Daknam-Sinaai"

The wooden arch bridge over the Stekense Vaart, named after Frans Coppens, was receiver-clerk in the municipality of Sinaai for almost a quarter of a century. He played an important role in "de Groote Watering van Sinay", the name given to the project launched by the Boerenbond in 1926. This project was initiated after repeated floods and aimed to make the polders 'dry'. The construction of the pumping station near Hondsnest was one of the first achievements within this project. During the Second World War, the unemployed were employed to clean or widen ditches. Under the impetus of dike reeve Jozef "meester" Maes and... receiver-clerk Frans Coppens (!), major reclamation works were carried out in the 60s, continuing into the following decades. Thus, Hondsnest got a new pumping station in 1975. In the meantime, the watering area had been converted into a polder, pursuant to the polder law of June 3, 1957. source: info file "Polder Daknam-Sinaai"

On Friday, April 5, 1867, the Spletterenbrug was officially opened. Between Moerbeke and Lokeren, trains stopped in Daknam and Eksaarde. In Moerbeke, travelers could transfer to railway line 77 towards Zelzate or towards Sint-Gillis-Waas. That the intention was to one day double the 9-kilometer railway line to two tracks is still visible on the Spletterenbrug. Both bridge abutments are indeed twice as wide as the bridge deck itself. It never came to that. On the contrary. The railway line suffered during both world wars, causing traffic to be suspended for months. For example, retreating German soldiers blew up the bridge at the end of World War I. Less than a year after the armistice, in September 1919, the line was already restored and trains could run on the route again. In 1940, the Belgian army, in turn, tried to slow down the German advance by destroying the bridge. The bridge was repaired again. In 1971, the last train chugged along the route. After more than a century of train traffic, the tracks were dismantled and the route was redeveloped as a cycling and walking path from Lokeren to Moerbeke. The Spletterenbrug itself was preserved and restored in 2017. The seven layers of paint were removed, and the bridge regained its original, dark gray color. Source: industriecultuur.be

Nice gravel along the Antitank Ditch.

With your nose pointed in the right direction, you'll cut through the landscape in no time. Don't forget to enjoy it.

single track that requires concentration

beautiful view over the Polders

Protected cycle path (gravel). Essentially a straight line from Oelegem to Sint Job in 't Goor (connecting with the Schoten Canal). Despite its straightness, it's not endless and offers plenty of variety.