Ringslot walking route

De Moeren is an incredible place. It was once an expansive swamp, and its lowest point is a full two metres below sea level. The views stretch for miles across this smooth, flat landscape. Runoff still wends its way through the Ringslot, a canal dug 350 years ago to drain the area. It's a sense of freedom that's the hallmark of these polders.

You'll start in the borough of Houtem in Veurne, nerve centre of the Belgian army in WWI. The route traces the path of the Ringslot canal. From the banks you can enjoy impressive views of the sweeping rectangular plots and criss-crossing pattern of canals and roads. The return route runs along the Bergenvaart canal, which dates back to the 13th century and was once a busy waterway.