Walk, Ghent Centre, East Flanders

Walk, Ghent Centre, East Flanders, Approximately 2.5 mile or 4.0 kilometres.

Went over to Camping Blaarmeersen reception to find out about the busses to the Ghent town centre, they leave from outside the campsite every half hour and the cheapest way to get tickets, was from the machine at the bus stop.

We got off the bus outside Mcdonalds in the centre of town on Sint-Michielshelling, the bus back is from the opposite side if the road. We were in the centre for 14:30 so we had plenty of time for a good look round and it was nice and sunny and hot, which was lucky as in our rush to get there we had not taken any warm cloths, umbrellas yes but no coats.

On arrival in the town centre we were a bit peckish, so I suggested that we walk around, find a chip shop or van and just get chips and mayonnaise, we are in Belgium after all. We walked back the way the bus came and down Pakhuisstraat to the river at Port at the Graslei. This is the part of Ghent where all the famous photos are taken but looking down on this scene from the bridge, here there were crowds of teenagers celebrating the end of exams, all very well behaved though. We turned right and walked along the river through the crowds to a bridge, where we turned left and crossed over the river. On the other side we turned right along Jan Breydelstraat then fist right and over another bridge to the Château des Comtes (Castle of the Counts), a fairytale castle.

 

Opposite the castle entrance on Geldmunt we came across a ticket machine for the bus, we only had one way tickets and had no idea where to get any for the return, so we got them there.

We turned right after the castle, back over the river and to a marketplace, Groentenmarkt, then left along Kortemunt passed many eating places, to St Niklaaskerk Church, about back to where we started.  Here we took a left along the side of the church on Klein Turkije to a square adjacent to the Belfort (Gent's Belfry).  Here we had a look at the sculptures, fountain and other artworks before turning left onto Botermarkt and left again along Hoogpoort.

 

At the end of Hoogpoort back at Groentenmarkt we had practically walked round the whole town centre.  We had walked for about an hour and a half and hadn't found one chip shop and by this time we were famished, so we got a chicken baguette each from a very popular sandwich shop on Langemunt adjacent to the  marketplace.  Then sat in a marketplace, to eat them, they were very good and as we were sat close to a small bar/cafe (t Galgenhuisje), we popped in for some beer to wash the sandwiches down (we had Dentergems Wit, Haacht Witbier & Orval). 

 

After the nice refreshing beers, we continued our rest our feet by taking one of the many boat trips, the one we chose, departed from just round the corner outside, another bar, the Bierhuis.  The boat trip was very informative and had some great views, I took loads of photos, especially of the many bridges we passed under.

 

At the end of the tour we didn't have a drink, but continued with our walk, we only had one day to see all of Ghent centre and we would have a drink latter.  We walked back along Hoogpoort onto Nederpolder and left on Bisdomkaai, passed where the confluence of the rivers Scheldt and Lys used to be, before it was blocked off when the canals were built.  There are plans to reopen this old channel and clearance work was ongoing.  It was then right onto Gebroeders Van Eyckstraat to the river Scheldt (I think), we crossed over two bridges here and continued to the left on the opposite bank along Voorhoutkaai (we crossed over the river to stay in the sun).  At the next bridge along we crossed back over, It was gorgeous day for walking in the sun but the heat does take its toll and eventually we needed a sit down and a drink.  So we set off back to the bar where the boat had dropped us just a short while before, this was along Steendam to Bibliotheekstraat to Hoogpoort and eventually the bar.

 

It was time for a drink, we were very lucky and managed to get a seat on the busy terrace of the Bierhuis, on the banks of the river Leie. The choice of beer was amazing but I knew what I wanted, a Kwak, with the special glass and holder.  Dot had a Blanche De Bruxelles and thankfully it does not taste of what the picture on the label implies.

 

Suitably refreshed, we walked back along Pensmarkt, eventually found a frits and mayo seller and had to have some.  Then it was back into another bar in Pensmarkt for another couple of beers, a Ename and another Haacht, Witbier, we had them out the back by the river, very nice.

 

After this we went up on to the bridge to get the often seen photo of Ghent but I left it too late, the sun had gone down too far and the wind had started to ripple the river, oh well, always next year.  By now dot was getting cold, as I mentioned before, in our rush to get there we had not taken warm cloths, so went to get the bus back to the campsite.  We had just missed one, so popped into the bar opposite, just to keep warm you understand.  As we were there we had a beer anyway, the beer we got was a Belgian White from the USA, didn't expect that.