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On this section, you'll cycle along the old railway bed of line 57. This line ran from Aalst via Oudegem and Dendermonde to Lokeren. It was in use between 1853 and 1957. Heritage signs tell the story of the vanished tracks. Tip for nut lovers: come in the right season to join the locals, armed with gloves and a plastic bag, in gathering nuts.

beautiful cycling

Lock and weir lock, known as the "Oude Sas" (Old Lock) on the Dender River. In 1667-1669, a lock with four new state-owned watermills was built on the Dender River in the city center, replacing the locks and the destroyed mills of the Ooie-Nieuwburcht. The lock, with its sluices, played a role in the city's military defense by flooding the surrounding meadows. The new lock structure consisted of a central channel between two brick lock walls clad in gray sandstone and equipped with pointed icebreakers, founded on a wooden floor and wooden foundation piles. The lock for barges was closed with six wooden lock gates. Five brick mill buildings stood on the lock walls, connected by a wooden footbridge, and a movable wooden footbridge spanned the lock. The mills were demolished in 1852-1853. The lock, modified in 1768 after the canalization of the Dender between Aalst and Dendermonde, remained in use as a weir until November 15, 1978, when the mouth of the Dender was rerouted. The old lock structure is currently being restored. A new bicycle and pedestrian bridge, and an iron swing bridge next to the lock, are in use. Source: Inventory of Immovable Heritage

Today, the Sas is a convenient bridge connecting one side of the city to the other for cyclists, but also a green oasis where you can enjoy a picnic or relax on one of the jetties along the bank. In summer, you can paddleboard or kayak to your heart's content.

Jan Desmarets, a renowned Belgian sculptor, is known for his dynamic and stylized forms. "Levensvreugde" (Joy of Life) exemplifies his style: elegant, powerful, and emotionally charged.

A double-headed eagle, installed in 1548, adorns the tower as a symbol of power and vigilance. Inside is a complete carillon of 49 bells, cast by bell founder Sergeys from Leuven. This carillon plays automatically every fifteen minutes and is also played manually during concerts.

Not yet listed as an architectural gem: Het Gulden Hoofd (The Golden Head): A 17th-century facade, now a restaurant and a protected monument. The photos show the wide building "Barley's" with its passageway. The square is the setting for the Ros Beiaardommegang (Carillon Procession) and the Katuit Giants' Procession, both iconic Dendermonde traditions.

The children's statue at the Bogaerd Bridge, officially titled "Dancing Children," is a bronze sculpture by Dendermonde artist Jos De Decker (1912–2000). The statue depicts a girl and two boys holding hands, dancing exuberantly. The children are depicted lively and playfully, giving the statue a sense of joy and innocence. What makes this statue special is the context in which it was erected in 1997: in the aftermath of the Dutroux affair. Instead of focusing on the horror, the choice was made to emphasize the innocence of the victims. The statue was donated by Rotary Dendermonde and was installed at the former Bogaerddam. After the construction of the new Bogaerd Bridge, it was reinstalled in 2015 at the foot of the bridge, in the cobbled area along Kasteelstraat.