The best traffic-free bike rides around Zwijndrecht

Brouwerij Verhofstede was founded in 1885. In that year, Stefanie De Jaegher, after the death of her husband, buys the brewery, previously a distillery. Not much later, she remarries Julien Verhofstede and together they continue to brew the Verhofstede family story. In the 1920s, Eugène Verhofstede takes over from his parents. He remains true to tradition and steadily expands the product range. With horse and cart, he supplies beer to beer merchants and cafés. Business is going so well that in 1944 he builds a brand-new brewery building, designed by architect Renaat Braem and which remains the heart and soul of the company to this day. In the sixties, at a time when many breweries are closing down, the Verhofstedes change tack: towards jenever. Stefaan Verhofstede, together with his brother Christiaan, is now in charge. As a qualified biochemist, the latter begins to experiment with spirits. In 1961, a hop jenever emerges from this, followed by countless other recipes. Meanwhile, the fourth generation of brewers/distillers is now at work. In 2021, the building was renovated into a place with character. (source: www.brouwerij-verhofstede.be). During my visit at the end of April 2026, on the occasion of their open day, the brewery garden was bustling with activity.

Two facts about the Cortewalle castle (domain): * The castle was owned for centuries by the de Brouckhoven de Bergeyck family and has connections to Joos Vijd, the commissioner of the famous painting The Ghent Altarpiece by the Van Eyck brothers. * The domain once formed the setting for the popular series Kapitein Zeppos – a nice detail for fans of nostalgia Source: .waasland.be

In 1844, the first section of the Antwerp-Ghent line was put into use: the route from Antwerp to Sint-Niklaas, on which Beveren also became a stop. No images are known of the first station building. The current station building dates from 1901, when the State took over the line - originally operated by private companies. The existing station was then replaced by its own design; here the Type 1895 R9. In the long right wing of the building, there was a signal box until June 2012, the function of which has since been taken over by the signal box of Antwerp-Berchem. The ticket office function of the station was discontinued in 2021, but the waiting room remains accessible. On platform 1, there is a ticket machine. Source: Wikipedia

The Arcade artwork, crafted from Corten steel, appears to be embedded in the Ringdijk. It symbolizes a gateway connecting the village to the new nature reserve. Arcade offers a new perspective on the polders. A playful location for taking great photos.

Next to the higher dike...

Beveren purchased the estate in 1982. It boasts the striking 18th-century neoclassical castle, but the farm, ice cellars, and orangery are also worth a visit. During the Middle Ages, the estate was called "Shaecx" after the oldest residents of the fiefdom, the Noethaeckx family. This is how the place got its name. It was Jean-Baptist Versmessen, chief alderman of the Land van Waas castellany, who laid out the estate in its current form in 1781. The English landscape garden appears in 19th-century illustrations. It remained in the Versmessen family until textile manufacturer Edmond Meert purchased the property. The castle was severely damaged during WWII, leaving only a ruin. Restoration took place between 2004 and 2007, and it is now hoped to restore the interior to its former grandeur.

quiet area for cycling

Very nice and quiet cycling. Beautiful!