Walk along sand dunes

Scheldeland has many wonderful hidden corners. Time to check them out for yourself! Our advice: start with the Stuifduin Wandelroute. This takes you along some gorgeous spots by the water, with lots of nature, refreshment opportunities and sand dunes. 

Yes, you read it right! After all, despite being miles from the sea, you can still get a sense of being close to the beach. Unique, don't you think? Join us for a wonderful tour through Scheldeland!

Because the coast is not the only place to have sand dunes

The mainly flat Stuifduin Walking route of 11 km does a circuit around the Scheldt in Wetteren. You enjoy the proximity of water, an abundance of vegetation, beautiful vistas and the unique experience of towering dunes, far from the coast.

St Gertrude's Church, Round arch style in Wetteren

St Gertrude's church dominates the landscape and is therefore among the attractions along the Stuifduin walking route. The present church was inaugurated in 1866. The monumental building has a high nave, two aisles and an integrated westerly tower. You discover a neo-Gothic decor and a combination of Romanesque, Gothic and Byzantine styles, explaining its Round arch style.

The church also accommodates a permanent puppet exhibition featuring 130 puppets in the original costumes of 130 sister congregations in Belgium. Fascinating!

Kalkense Meersen: beautiful quiet sanctuary

The Stuifduin Walking route also follows the perimeter of the Kalkense Meersen. A magnificent nature area and one of the last quiet sanctuaries in East Flanders. You will enjoy amazing views of the landscape with its diverse fauna and flora. 

At node number 20 you cross a meander of the Old Scheldt. In recent years the meander that had silted up has been uncovered, in order to restore the river nature of the Kalkense Meersen, and attract new flora and fauna.

The ferry at Schellebelle is a highlight of this route: ‘ring’ the ferry man or woman by pulling the bell.    

Den Blakken: themed gardens, a rose garden and a maze

Provincial domain Den Blakken is a park covering 9.7 hectares with a variety of themed gardens, a rose garden and a maze. The domain surrounds the former 'Les Mélèzes' (de Lorken) Villa and is also a promotional centre for horticulture, roses and park trees.

The Warandeduinen or Stuifduinen

Beside Den Blakken you will find the dunes known as Warandeduinen, also called the Stuifduinen. Wasn't that the name of this walking route? Yes! Quite so, as the sand dunes are a spectacle in themselves. Admit it, who expects to find sand dunes of up to 17.5 metres in Wetteren?

Curious to know where those sand dunes came from? Then we must look back almost 12,000 years ago, when the rivers carved deep gullies in the sand, carried the sand away and deposited it further down. 

The result? Sand banks. The process continued and the westerly wind did the rest and turned the sand banks into sand dunes. The Warandeduinen in Wetteren are undoubtedly the finest examples along the Scheldt.

Pure enjoyment in a pure region

Walking is good for your health after all. The Stuifduin Walking route is much more than that. It is an attractive route along some unique places. This route is an excursion to look forward to, to somewhere you are sure to return. A route that allows you to gather your thoughts and which gathers the most beautiful parts of the region. What more could you want?

Come and try the Stuifduin Walking route for yourself, come to Scheldeland!