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Yourcenar Trail

Yourcenar Trail

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Yourcenar Trail

Recommended by 84 hikers out of 89

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Location: Knokke-Heist, Bruges, West Flanders, Flanders, Belgium

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Best Hikes to Yourcenar Trail

4.6

(68)

533

hikers

1. View of Het Zwin – Zwinduinen en -polders loop from Oosthoek

8.57km

02:10

10m

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Moderate

4.5

(59)

514

hikers

2. Keunepad – View of the Zwin loop from Oosthoek

10.1km

02:33

10m

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Moderate

4.8

(37)

305

hikers

3. View of the Zwin – View of Het Zwin loop from Knokke

22.2km

05:36

30m

Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Hard

Tips

Dirk V 🚲 🚶📷

April 5, 2025

The name of this path refers to the writer Marguerite Yourcenar. Her internationally known novel (The Hermetic Black) is partly set in the dunes near the Zwin. Until the end of the 19th century, this dune, forest and meadow area was still in constant evolution due to the influence of the sea. It looked like the current Zwin with mudflats, salt marshes and gullies.

Translated by Google •

🇧🇪 Herwig Aertbeliën

February 25, 2023

The name of the path refers to the writer Marguerite Yourcenar (1903-1987). Her internationally renowned novel 'Het Hermantisch Zwart' is partly set in the dunes near the Zwin, more specifically in the 16th century when the landscape here looked very different. It looked like the clear zwin with mud flats, salt marshes and gullies that alternate with each other and a belt of dunes on the seaward side.

The story describes the tragic fate of the physician Zeno. The nature restoration project ZENO (Zwinduinen Ecological Nature Development) that took place here in 2006-2010 was named after this main character.
The Zwinduinen and polders took on their homely form when the International Dike was rebuilt in 1872-1873 and the area was closed off from the sea. All recognizable points are indicated here on signs. This way you can orient yourself in the Zwin region.

Source: information board on site

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Johnny

November 23, 2025

A challenging walk of approximately 25km for the more experienced hiker.

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Details

Informations

Elevation 50 m

Weather

Sunday 28 December

6°C

2°C

-- %

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Max wind speed: -- km/h

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See hikes here

Take Me There

Location: Knokke-Heist, Bruges, West Flanders, Flanders, Belgium

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Yourcenar Trail

1. View of Het Zwin – Zwinduinen en -polders loop from Oosthoek

2. Keunepad – View of the Zwin loop from Oosthoek

3. View of the Zwin – View of Het Zwin loop from Knokke

Other Popular Places to Check Out

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