Belgium: Splendid Flanders - to Bruges and Ghent

The rustling in the treetops on the canal bank has almost disappeared, the surf on the piers, the whitecaps further out. After the storm, Nieuwpoort can once again be what it is: a seaside resort on the North Sea, a holiday destination in early summer. Days like this are always part of it here anyway. And a little sugar sand on the lemon ice has never spoilt anyone's beach holiday.

Nieuwpoort: Welcome to Flanders!

We are in the north of Belgium. Kuststreek is what the Flemish, or Vlaams, speakers call the region, the "coastal strip". It measures around seventy kilometres from the Dutch to the French border, and Nieuwpoort is its westernmost port. Yesterday we ourselves were still on the Zeedijk, the beach promenade that begins at the mouth of the Yser near the pilot tower. But even if the week-long charter cruise ahead of us starts so close to the sea, it will take us inland, along the waterways of Flanders to its glamorous metropolises: Bruges and Ghent.

Engine on! The drops on the handrails of our white Horizon begin to tremble. The Flanders sky is still full of dark clouds. We leave the Westhoek Marina with the charter base of Le Boat, which will be our start and finish, and begin our journey on the Kanaal Plassendale-Nieuwpoort. We immediately call the first bridge, the Rattevallebrug. The employee is nice, but still wants us to get closer first. Okay, thank you!

The first few kilometres show what the next few hours will be like: The canal runs straight ahead, parallel to the North Sea about three kilometres away, bordered by concrete sheet piling. The road runs to the right, a cycle path to the left. Behind it are pastures, meadows and fields. A well-ordered patch of earth. Another charter boat is already waiting at the bridge.

After twenty minutes, the traffic lights turn red-green. The bell rattles, the road barriers close. Then the first of many bridges on this trip opens. We can pass, four of us now: Another Horizon has opened up, with a private cabin cruiser behind it. The beach development of Middelkerke stretches out to sea, a ten-storey concrete tsunami. Otherwise, the land is flat; you can't get much higher than the flybridge of our Horizon. So we continue at a leisurely pace, even more leisurely than on land: many cyclists are on the move. A racing team in uniforms overtakes us, then a couple of best agers - on e-bikes.

Nature at Kanaal Gent-Oostende

After the Zandvoordebrug in Oudenburg, the end of the Kanaal Plassendale-Nieuwpoort is approaching. Twenty kilometres lie behind us as we enter the Plassendalesluis. The chamber is expansive, more like a basin, and our convoy of now five boats is almost lost in it. Just then, hard, cold rain sets in. René stands on the foredeck with his toddler harnessed up, the dripping line in his hand, until the exit onto the Ghent-Oostende canal. Now we turn right towards Bruges, inland. Left would take us to Ostend - and back to the North Sea.

The canal is a nice surprise: where I had expected a concrete water motorway, it winds like a river through the pretty landscape of Flanders, framed by tall trees. Another shower, then the sun comes out - as announced. We move up from the lower deck to the flybridge again, luckily our boat offers this option. Summer has returned! After just under five hours, we reach the urban foothills of Bruges.

The Scheepsdalebrug kicks things off. The modern construction is designed as a luffing bridge where, when open, you pass under the carriageway, which is now sufficiently raised but dramatically inclined towards the water. On the Kolenkaai quay behind it, impressive houseboats are lined up, elaborately converted inland vessels, some of them very classy: floating lofts with large windows cut into the sides. A cargo hold as a living room, a cargo hatch with a whirlpool? Not bad.

Arrival in Bruges - Passantenhaven Coupure

Through the tranquil suburb we come to the almost circular Dammeportsluis, where there is a good flow along the wall. While the last lock was almost just a level lock, it now goes up a good metre and a half. This is how we reach the Ringvaart around the city. On the starboard side, former ramparts, now a park with joggers, walkers and four majestic windmills - all with names: De Coelewey, De Nieuwe Papegaai, Sint-Janshuismolen and Bonne-Chière.

We register by phone at the Coupure pedestrian harbour, so the footbridge over the entrance on the right bank is already raised when our little convoy turns the corner and enters the harbour. Pretty here! Yachts are moored alongside the wall, with parasols instead of umbrellas, flanked by mighty chestnut trees and brick façades. We are waved through right at the back, turn round and moor at the old lock gate. The harbour master's wife coordinates the operation and has a lot to do with the other boats in our convoy. We pay and take our leave to go ashore.

A medieval success story

The history of Bruges is a glorious example of a medieval success story in Flanders - and of the little coincidences that help from time to time. In 1134, a severe storm surge drove the mouth of the River Zwin far inland, almost to the gates of Bruges. Almost overnight, direct access to the North Sea was unexpectedly gained and the local merchants were not long in coming. A trading centre quickly grew up for wool, cloth and other goods from all over Europe - from furs from Karelia to northern Italian brocade.

This steady stream increased the importance of the Flemish city and flushed gold into the coffers of those involved. The Hanseatic League also helped to further increase its importance and prosperity. The splendid merchants' houses and offices with their stepped gables and Gothic arches, not least the opulently decorated Stadhuis from 1400, bear witness to this.

But when the Zwin began to silt up again in the 16th century, Bruges lost its vital connection; a gradual decline set in. However, the city's subsequent slumber helped to preserve its medieval character. And so, in 2000, the historic centre of Bruges was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in recognition of its ensemble of unique architecture and important history.

Delicious Flanders: Fries, chocolates and beer

We see plenty of them on our walk from the harbour to the Grote Markt, Bruges' central square. We walk through Koningin Astridpark in the sunshine to Rozenhoedkaai and finally to Wollestraat. The flood of tourists sweeps us along. If you want to escape the flow, take refuge in one of the many patisseries, chocolateries and pubs. That's where the other cultural treasures of Flanders are waiting to be discovered: Waffles, chocolates and beer - and we like to combine them.

On the square, we look up at the Belfort, the iconic 13th century bell tower that still bears witness to the city's former glory from afar, savour another hot and greasy Belgian national dish (fries) and finally quench our thirst in the shady courtyard of the Bourgogne des Flandres brewery in Kartuizerinnenstraat, less than five minutes away from the hustle and bustle of the Grote Markt. Just like all around, there are real treasures to be discovered here: Blond, Roodbruin and Fruit Lambiek sparkle in front of us.

Midsummer on the canal

After travelling back in time to the Middle Ages, we return to midsummer; on the Ringvaart the next morning, the sun is already beating down on us. We pass the 14th century Gentpoort, a yoga group on the riverside meadow and shortly afterwards the water tower. Although it was only built in 1925, it copies the medieval style so well that even as a fake it fits perfectly into the cityscape.

Shortly afterwards, at the southern exit of Bruges, we realise that the Kanaal Gent-Oostende is also a major shipping route: we are taken completely by surprise by a full-blown motor tanker coming towards us at a seemingly innocent spot. Fortunately, we pay attention and can pull over before it gets really tight - because there are only a few metres on either side of the "Birgit Deymann". From now on, we check Vessel Tracker on our smartphone to avoid any more surprises.

However, shortly afterwards we pass through the Steenbruggebrug and are back in the countryside. The canal widens considerably and is now only accompanied by cycle paths. Birds twitter across the water, cows graze in the meadows. Rows of trees and fields line the banks, whose stone embankments disappear behind reeds and bushes and only hint at the artificial, regulated waterway. Only occasionally do bridges span the canal and connect small villages on the banks. Beernem, for example, with the Sint-Joriskerk church on the water, or Buntelaare, which consists of a row of houses on the dyke. There is barely a breath of fresh air, the sun is blazing and the North Sea now seems very far away here in the centre of Flanders.

Ghent: Flanders between yesterday and tomorrow

Around four and a half hours after the start in Bruges, things become more urban after Lovendegem. We approach the second metropolis of this journey: Ghent. First we reach the waterway junction in the north-west of the city shortly before 2 p.m. - because unlike Bruges, Ghent has a large seaport and therefore more feeder traffic. The Zeekanaal connects Flanders with the Westerschelde in Terneuzen in the Netherlands.

For us, however, it's onto the Genter Ringvaart, which literally forms the central reservation of a multi-lane motorway. Traffic to the right and left, and we're right in the middle of it. The background noise is correspondingly loud. Fortunately, we can soon turn off into the Leie, a narrow river that leads right into the centre of Ghent. The route leads under a railway bridge, past tall blocks of flats and finally into dense housing, a sometimes elegant combination of old brickwork and modern, floor-to-ceiling windows right by the water. Shortly afterwards, we moor in the gently flowing Leie with the stern at the jetty of the Lindenlei harbour, directly opposite the Palace of Justice.

The big difference between Bruges and Ghent is not their size (with a quarter of a million people, Ghent has around twice as many inhabitants) or their historic buildings. In this area, Bruges is clearly ahead, even if Ghent has nothing to hide: The Sint-Michielskerk, visible from the boat, the Sint-Baafskathedraal and, last but not least, the medieval moated castle Gravensteen, seat of the Counts of Flanders, speak for themselves.

The contrast lies in self-perception. While Bruges endeavours to preserve the past in Flanders as purely as possible, Ghent lives in the present. Nowhere else can you switch back and forth between the 14th and 21st centuries so quickly. No wonder with an international university that maintains connections all over the world. Around 50,000 students are enrolled here and fill the squares, parks and pubs. This makes for a colourful life - sometimes in the truest sense of the word. A street artist in Graffitistraatje sums it up perfectly when she points to the colourfully spray-painted walls of the alleyway in the heart of the city: "That," she says with a laugh, "would never be allowed in Bruges."

Finishing off on Belgium's most beautiful river

Do you ever have enough time to really get to know a city? For us, it's time to say goodbye again the next morning, the second Flemish metropolis is behind us. What follows is the long journey back to Nieuwpoort. The route will be the same as on the outward journey, with a second stop in Bruges and a final stop in Oudenburg on the Kanaal Plassendale-Nieuwpoort, from where we will cycle to Ostend on the on-board bikes. Once again the Kuststreek with a North Sea feeling. A nice excursion, but you could also use the day for a longer stay in Ghent instead.

But before we get there, we take a detour: instead of immediately returning to the Ringvaart in the direction of Bruges, we go beyond it, across the canal and straight on along the Leie. The following section of the river to the small town of Deinze (where we will spend another night) is considered the most beautiful inland waterway in Belgium. Barely regulated, the Leie now runs loop after loop through the landscape, along the banks - sometimes hidden behind willows, sometimes displayed on manicured lawns - modern villas and stately homes as an expression of individual success and prosperity in Flanders. A little Bruges in the countryside. But how much of this will still be visible in 500 years' time remains to be seen.