The Blankaart

Details: Parent Category: Province of West Flanders; Category: West Flanders - Walks; Last Updated: 30 April 2021; Hits: 408

Water is the keyword of this walk because the Blankaart lies in the heart of the floodable Yser Valley. After all, the name Blankaart refers to "Standing Blank". The Blankaart pond is a remnant of former peat extraction. In the area you will pass bird watching huts, lookout towers and a viewing platform. Depending on the season, there are so many different birds to spot that you will forget the time.

Blankaart

Blankaart

Distance: 10 km

Duration: 2h30

Grade: Easy

Gps track: Yes

Route description: Yes

Type: Circular

Height gain: Flat

Way mark: Hexagonal signs with green inscription

Wheelchair: Not suitable

Dog: Allowed on leach

The walk starts at Blankaart Castle, which is now a visitor center. You go a through the forest on the castle domain. Pretty soon you can go back and forth to the first birdwatching hut De Otter. After your visit to the hut, you continue through the forest and cross the picturesque bridge at the pond. The work of art De Otter stands out in the pond. You continue to the plank path, here you can go back and forth to a bird hut, it is not indicated. You continue on the plank path. At a fork on the plank path you can go back and forth to the De Otter viewing tower. You go through a more open terrain and cross the Velkelokerbeek. Keep to the left on a split and you go in the direction of the watchtower, which you can already see from afar. From the tower you have a beautiful view of the Blankaart pond and the wide surroundings. From the tower you walk further, cross two bridges to arrive at a paved road. Here you can stop for a nice farm ice cream at Hoeve 't Madeliefje. You follow the road and go next to the Blankaart reservoir in the direction of a viewing platform on the Stenensluisvaart. Here you have a beautiful view of the entire area. Continue to follow Noordbroekstraat to the intersection with Zuidbroekstraat. Here you turn right into Zuidbroekstraat. (See WP1 on the map - the marker is missing here). You follow the street and pass Sport Vlaanderen Woumen. Almost at the end of the Zuidbroekstraat you turn right into a path. The path ends at the Y-junction of the way there. (WP2 on the map) From here you follow the route of the way out to just the beginning of the plank path. Here you follow the path on the left. At the first intersection, turn left again and follow the forest path to the castle.