Area
"Allegambe's Goed" is also the perfect base for other destinations. The coast, Ypres, Bruges, Roeselare, Kortrijk and even Ghent are all within a radius of 50 km. Sluis (NL) can be reached in 30 minutes, Lille (FR) in 45 minutes ...
For those traveling to the UK, the Channel Tunnel can be reached in 1 hour.
Couleur Locale of Aartrijke
Moubekevalley
The Moubekevalley is a valuable nature reserve on the border of Aartrijke, Veldegem and Torhout. The Moubeek rises from three different sources in the park of the Maere d’Aertrycke castle and winds through a whimsical and slightly undulating landscape in the direction of Zedelgem. Beautiful wood edges, hedges and rows of trees along the banks contrast with the open landscape of grass meadows and fields. There are also some forests and castle parks such as the Hospitaalbos and the Litterveldbos. From the higher areas you can enjoy some beautiful views. The Hospitaalbos and Litterveldbos are not accessible to visitors.
Castle Litterveld
The Litterveldbos, also known as "Van Caloenbos", where castle Litterveld is hidden in the park, was built in 1868 in eclectic style. Until today, descendants of the Caloen de Basseghem family live here. The castle and park are not accessible to visitors.
Homestead ‘De Drie Zwaluwen’
This whitewashed homestead was once a busy inn. The oldest mention of De Drie Zwaluwen can be found on a map from 1571. The farm is a private residence.
St. Andrew's Church
Due to the high location of Aartrijke, the tower of the St. Andrew's Church is visible far into the surrounding landscape. The church was built in neo-Gothic style at the end of the 19th century. The war memorial, to the right of the church, was sculpted by the Aartrijk artist Leonard Devisch.
De Leeuw Brewery
In the Engelstraat you will find the former De Leeuw Brewery. The building dates from 1871 and was thoroughly restored in 2005. Both for its architectural and industrial archaeological value, this is a monument to cherish. Today you will find the archive service of the municipality of Zedelgem. As a result of the restoration, the Zillegemse Leeuw beer was brewed.
Brugse and Diksmuidse Heirweg
This road was built by the Romans as a connecting road for their army and traders, between Kassel and Aardenburg.
Cemetery of Aartrijke
After a prohibition by the Germans in 1917 to bury around the church, people were buried along the Engelstraat. After W.O.I the municipality bought this land and in the second half of the 1930s the old cemetery around the church was evacuated. The cemetery along the Engelstraat was expanded and upgraded in 2007 on the basis of the landscape architect Ada Wille with the Plantec engineering office in Ostend. A beautiful berceau - a hedge structure under which a path runs - forms the green main artery and the showpiece of the cemetery.
Castle de Maere d’Aertrycke
This imposing castle was built in 1874 by order of August de Maere d’Aertrycke, the spiritual father of the seaport of Zeebrugge. The castle exhibits style features of neo-gothic and neo-Renaissance and is a design by the architect Jos Schadde. Since the municipal merger in 1977, the castle is no longer in Aartrijke, but in Torhout.
Vloethemveld
The Vloethemveld is 2 km away from Allegambe’s Goed. This is a unique nature area of approximately 330 hectares (1 acre = 0.4047 hectares) , located in the border area of Jabbeke and Zedelgem.
The history of the Vloethemveld is largely known, starting from the Middle Ages to the present, it is a story of reclamation, draining and damming, agricultural exploitation, forestation and logging, pond and fish management, etc.
During the 20th century, the Vloethemveld was given a military purpose, with (among other things) a ammunition depot of the Belgian army (1924-1994) and a British prisoner of war camp (1944-1946), where perhaps more than 100,000 prisoners of war, mainly from the Baltic states, were packed together. Numerous relics and works of art recall this dark period.
The former ammunition depot is not freely accessible, but can be visited on request under the supervision of a guide. The surrounding forest is the ideal backdrop for both a Sunday excursion and a discovery tour in nature. A fun play area has been set up for the children.
There are plenty of options for cyclists and walkers, there is a viewing tower on the north side of Vloethemveld and a bird watching platform overlooking the large pond. You can have a picnic or a cozy barbecue at the Den Doorn allotment park, on the other side of the Diksmuidse Heirweg.
The Vloethemveld can be reached through the Diksmuidse Heirweg in Zedelgem.
Tips
From the Vloethemveld you can follow the old railway bed by bike or on foot to approximately Merkemveld-Doeveren, this green axis is better known as the Vloethemveldzate.
There is a play area of 3.20 hectares on the Vloethemveld: a totem pole, nice entrance gates with animals in beautiful carvings, step blocks, wooden game mushrooms, a camp and a tunnel, a sand mountain with picnic benches ... stimulate the imagination and ensure a relaxing (or adventurous) time in nature.
