Our charter cruise starts in Nieuwpoort near the French border, one of Belgium's most popular seaside resorts alongside Ostend. Here, just a few kilometres from the wide North Sea beach, is Le Boat's charter base on the Plassendale-Nieuwpoort canal. In a week, we will sail from here first to Bruges, then to Ghent, and return with a detour across the River Leie and a second stop in Bruges.
The waterways in West Flanders: surprisingly natural
The journey takes around six hours per day, and in many places the journey runs in time with the movable bridges, which open quite quickly for pleasure craft after registration. In contrast, there are only a few locks in the area - no wonder given the largely flat landscape of West Flanders, which is characterised by green pastures and farmland so close to the North Sea.
However, as soon as you head inland on the way to Bruges, the Kanaal Gent-Oostende hardly seems like an artificial waterway. Flanked by tall trees, its winding course is more reminiscent of a natural river - an image that continues later on when you set course from Bruges to Ghent.
Bruges and Ghent: similar and yet full of differences
Both metropolises in West Flanders impress at first glance; on the one hand with the seemingly endless lines of historic buildings, dominated by magnificent towers such as the famous Belfry in Bruges and the unfinished Sint-Michielskerk, with its tower that looks as if it has been cut off. Witnesses to the rich past of both cities.
As similar as the cities may be on the surface, they are very different underneath: While Bruges proudly preserves its splendour, Ghent has a more relaxed approach to its former grandeur. The 44,000 students at the state university contribute to this. Both cities have pedestrian harbours in prime locations right in the city centre. As a guest on your own keel, you could hardly do better!
You will soon be able to read the report on our trip through West Flanders here.
