Bikepacking in Flanders – ORTLIEB Escape Routes
Bike Touring Collection by ORTLIEB waterproof
9
Tours
38:56 h
365 mi
4,500 ft
One of the best things about bikepacking is how easy it is to get started. You strap a few bags to your bike, pack the essentials and your adventure can begin. Leave your everyday life behind and plan a short trip to Flanders – a paradise for cycling.
The Antwerp, Bruges and Ghent’s Escape Routes are packed with nature, culture and the typical Flemish-Burgundian lifestyle so you can discover the beauty of Flanders by bike. Who says you have to travel far to have a special trip? You roll along cycle paths and gravel roads through wonderful river valleys, beautiful hilly landscapes and wide fields that help you forget everyday life.
Bikepacking adventures are for everyone, whether you start with ultra-light and fast gear and pack just a set of clothes and a toothbrush, or take all your camping gear so you can get comfortable outdoors at night. You decide the pace and the number of kilometres you want to ride each day. The routes in this Collection are divided into sample daily stages, all of which end near a hotel or campsite. If you prefer a longer or shorter trip, you can easily adjust the stages yourself in the route planner.
Along the way, you can admire beautiful nature, wave to boats from cycle paths along the riverbanks and enjoy authentic Belgian delicacies in the sunny squares of medieval villages and towns. So what are you waiting for? Adventure is calling!
On The Map
Tours & Highlights
- 04:2639.2 mi8.8 mph450 ft475 ftFerryIntermediateIntermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The Tour includes a crossing by ferry.
As soon as the hustle and bustle of the city gets too much for you, your to-do list starts to dominate your thoughts and you crave some time away from your screens, it's high time for this four-day cycling adventure that kicks off in Antwerp. Whether you live in Antwerp yourself, or travel there by train…
- 06:5856.5 mi8.1 mph825 ft675 ftExpertExpert bike ride. Very good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may be unpaved and difficult to ride.
The second stage of the Antwerp Escape Route takes you past historic farms and castles. Since this Tour starts so close to Antwerp, you can also choose to skip the first day and start in Nijlen. You are then only a short distance from the route.
You cycle through the fields and trees and enjoy all the…
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- 04:3938.7 mi8.3 mph500 ft600 ftIntermediateIntermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may be unpaved and difficult to ride.
After a wonderful night's sleep, you wake up in your tent to the cheerful morning song of the birds. After an extensive breakfast, you cycle through the varied landscape of the Hobos estate: forests, meadows, orchards, ponds, hedgerows and an old building complex with a vegetable garden and beautiful…
- 04:1637.5 mi8.8 mph475 ft525 ftIntermediateIntermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may be unpaved and difficult to ride.
The last leg of the adventure will take you back to the city. But before that, there is a beautiful cycling tour of 60 kilometers on the program. You cycle through a succession of beautiful nature reserves. Starting with Het Goorken, a green diamond on the Kempen crown, in the valley of the river Wamp…
- 03:2435.2 mi10.3 mph300 ft350 ftIntermediateIntermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
The Flemish Coast is a real 'beach escape'. The salty wind blows all the stress away from you and in the diverse region full of nature, culture and numerous restaurants and cafes, you can imagine yourself on a beach holiday. Of course you are, and you didn't even have to fly to Spain, CO2 win!
You cycle…
- 03:3233.6 mi9.5 mph525 ft500 ftFerryExpertExpert bike ride. Good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may require you to push your bike. The Tour includes a crossing by ferry.
The smaller picturesque Wenduine aan Zee is just a short bike ride from the larger Blankenberge. Climb the Spioenkop in the dunes for a beautiful view over the beach and the sea. The white pavilion with a red roof in the middle of the dunes is a pearl in itself. From here you cycle through the Zandpanne…
- 03:1635.0 mi10.8 mph200 ft225 ftIntermediateIntermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
Today you will leave the Flemish coast behind you, but don't worry: it is a nice bike ride back to Bruges. The coastal polders charm with their endless greenery. First you will visit the historic Veurne, but also the picturesque villages that you will cross afterwards will charm you from the bicycle…
- 04:4551.5 mi10.8 mph750 ft725 ftIntermediateIntermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may be unpaved and difficult to ride.
Ghent is a historic city but also has a trendy, modern city life. You can combine an adventurous or relaxing day of cycling with a gourmet dinner in one of the many good restaurants in the city. Kortrijk, 50 kilometers to the south, also has a vibrant atmosphere. The Escape Route between these two cities…
- 03:4038.2 mi10.4 mph500 ft525 ftFerryIntermediateIntermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The Tour includes a crossing by ferry.
"Save the best for last", that certainly applies to this Escape Route from Kortrijk to Ghent. After a wonderful evening and night in Kortrijk, you will cycle all the way along the Leie back to Ghent. This river full of meanders and meersen meanders lazily through green fields, swaying rows of trees and…
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Collection Stats
- Tours9
- Distance365 mi
- Duration38:56 h
- Elevation4,500 ft
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