Oedelemberg is a typical cuesta with an elongated, gentle slope to the north and a slightly steeper side on the south side. The mountain appeals to the imagination. There is no real climbing involved, but the view from the top is certainly worth it.
Today the mountain still rises 23 meters above sea level. The soft ridge owes its origin to a long process of sedimentation and erosion. The subsoil of Bartoon clay was mined for centuries in function of brickworks in the area.
Baking clay was an Oedelem industry since Roman times. The brickyards and quarries were all on and around the top of the hill. There is still a thick layer of clay today. The bricks were baked on site in field ovens, for example for the Bruges Hallen and the St-Janshospitaal. According to local legend, the tiles were passed from hand to hand from Oedelem to Bruges. In 1911 an industrial brickyard was established with a permanent furnace: the "Briquetteries et Tuilleries d" Oedelem ", which closed in 1968.
Fact for cyclists: from Oedelem the Oedelemberg is 0.4 km long. Over this distance you bridge 12 vertical meters. The average gradient of the climb is therefore 3%.