This route starts and ends among the dunes but, as the name suggests, you also cycle quite a way along the towpath alongside the Nieuwpoort-Plassendale canal. You ride through Leffinge past the Kalkaert and the Fleriskothoeve.Fleriskotstraat 92, Wilskerke 

The Fleriskothoeve is a beautiful farm with a Friesian barn. This barn used to have a straw roof, but it burned down a few years ago. The roof was restored with tiles.

There is a funny legend about the Fleriskothoeve. Fleris, the servant, was a water spirit and liked nothing better than bullying the other servants and maids. In desperation, the farmer and the farmer's wife went to the village priest. The priest advised them to give Fleris porridge with garlic. So that same evening he was given porridge with garlic, but he tasted it and cried, ‘Aha, porridge with garlic, Fleris moves and so does happiness.’ He disappeared and that same night the farmhouse burned down. 

The Tempelhof Route is a very varied route. The route starts between the dunes and then moves into the hinterland. Quiet roads, along the Lovie- and Rattevallewijk, take you up to the historic farmstead ‘Het Groot Tempelhof’. On the way back, we take the towpath along the canal to get back to our starting point via Abdisweg and Heirweg. 

This route starting in the seaside resort of Middelkerke explores the beautiful polder landscape. In barely 40 years, Middelkerke has completely changed its appearance. What was it like before and are there still visual remnants from that period? Nearby, the Middelelkerke people of the time earned their living from horticulture and beach fishing. From their houses in the dunes, they went to sea to creel shrimps and behind the strip of dunes the fertile land was cultivated.

This rural route starts at Ijzerlaan in Middelkerke and runs through a region called Middelland. Cycling past creeks and historic farms, you will discover the beautiful polder villages of the hinterland. The name of the cycle route refers to the Spermaliehof, Bruggesteenweg 41, Middelkerke

The Spermaliehoeve was rebuilt in 1920. Originally (just before 1200), a convent of the Order of Citeaux stood on this spot. The nuns mainly engaged in agriculture and reclaimed large areas of land for this purpose. As early as the 13th century, the nuns moved to Sijsele.  

The picturesque farmstead is one of the examples of typical polder farmhouses with a monumental entrance gate. The shield and year of the farm are mentioned in the gateway. The various buildings are grouped around the square yard. The material used is mainly brick.

The Spermaliehoeve is operated as a holiday farm and is also known for the annual performances by Willem Vermandere.

Both the Spermaliehoeve and the Nieuw Tempelhof are excellent spots to catch your breath with a nice drink during a bike ride.

This one takes you to the polder villages of the merged municipality of Middelkerke. The sea, the dunes and the countryside are your allies. The route also introduces you to some environmental projects such as modern windmills, a grazing project in the dunes using donkeys and the dune area De Schuddebeurze protected and managed by Natuurpunt. Departing from Westende, we drive towards Middelkerke- Bad and then explore the boroughs of Wilskerke, Leffinge, Slijpe and Lombardsijde.

In Leffinge, we can also visit an old mill in Groenhagestraat. The Groenhagemolen in Leffinge, better known as the Rommelmolen, dates from 1871. Until 1986 it was operated by Omer Rommel, who also lived in the miller's house afterwards. In 2005, the body of the mill, the mechanical mill and the bakery were protected. In 1940, the cap and windshield were permanently removed. Inside, there are still some parts of the milling mechanism. The mill was in operation from 1929 to 1986. The equipment is fully preserved and includes a horizontal single-cylinder Deutz diesel engine.

The agricultural educational path takes you along quiet rural roads, along canals and waterways that invite you to take a rest or picnic when the weather is nice. At the entrance of certain farms, you will get more explanations about the farms, their specialities and also about two typical polder crops: winter wheat and sugar beet. This cycle route has two starting points: Middelkerke and Westende. After 4 km, the route is parallel from both starting points.

Freddy Maertens cycled an unlikely record. Two world titles and a Belgian tricolour, three times the green jersey in the Tour, overall winner of the Vuelta, nine classical victories, 102 stage wins in various stage races. After Freddy Maertens, no Belgian can boast such a list of honours. During this cycle route, we partly follow the training route of the two-time world champion who grew up in Lombardsijde.

The Schoorbakkeroute introduces cyclists to the vast coastal polders between Middelkerke and Diksmuide. Along the route you will find dozens of imposing abbey farms; from the starting point in Middelkerke, the route leads to the ancient polder villages of Leffinge, Schore and Slijpe and to the Diksmuidse borough of Keiem. The return route takes you along the Ijzer where names like Tervaete and Schoorbakke remind you of the bloody battles of World War I. The imposing Schoorbakkehoeve (Schorestraat 61, Schore), operated as a restaurant, is a pleasant place to stop. It was built in 1176, in Saxon style (horseshoe shape). The 18th-century farm was completely destroyed during the First World War, but was later rebuilt. The farm was surrounded by a rampart and a wide ditch, of which only the stone entrance gate can now be seen.  You cane.g.  eat a pancake. 

This cycle route with the village of Zoutenaaie as its destination starts in Westende-Dorp and leads you through the beautiful landscape of the Westhoek. You also ride up to the sluice complex in Nieuwpoort which played a major role in WWI. If you want to know more about Belgium's former smallest village and other picturesque spots, you'll make the right choice with this cycle route.

The route's destination is Ten Putte Abbey in Gistel, pilgrimage site named after St Godelieve. The route starts in Westende-Dorp and via Wilskerke, Leffinge and the ‘Green 62’, the former railway line Ostend-Torhout, you arrive in Gistel. Here you can visit the abbey, an oasis of peace and quiet. From where the name Zevekote and Slijpe originate, you will find out on the way back from this beautiful route.

This route starts on the Zeedijk in Middelkerke - junction 80. We cycle towards Ostend until junction 52 where - just before Raversijde - we leave the Zeedijk. What follows afterwards is an alternation of beautiful polder landscapes, small polder villages, agricultural roads, towpath along the canal and a stretch of old tramway. If at junction 17 in Leffinge it's still a bit too early to grab a terrace, don't worry, we'll be back later, this time at junction 18 and we're again close to the centre of Leffinge. In the meantime, don't forget to take a look in Stene at the Sint Annakerk from 1625 (see also the section beautiful churches on our website) and read about the construction of a replica ( scale 1/5 ) in a Japanese Building. Once over the Leffingebrug, we drive through Slijpe, over the E40 and then to Mannekensvere. From there we take the E40 again to the Rattevalle bridge and return to Middelkerke where we soon see the water tower.