The wind has free rein over the flat Zeeland countryside. Here there is no VAM mountain or other hilly obstacle. Everything here is flat. The only mountain you encounter is a Dutch Mountain. Among the connoisseurs it is also called ‘the wind’. One of my first vivid memories of Zeeland is a reference to the wind. When the ferry between Breskens and Vlissingen was taken out of service, it was mentioned on the radio. That was always on and I almost always heard reports about the ferry being taken out of service. Zeeland and the wind are inextricably linked. Here you can enjoy fantastic gravel biking. Border-breaking gravel biking even, because you can play with your neighbors from the south. The result is a stunning gravel bike route.
Theo Middelkamp route
Why an introduction to wind? Not only because of its presence on the second day we were in Zeeland-Flanders mountain biking. But also because of the Theo Middelkamp route we are partly going to follow. This route also has a storm symbol on the map. Random coincidence, or not?
Read also: A Zilt Gravel Adventure
Theo Middelkamp was the first Dutch World Champion (1947, Reims) and also the first winner of a Tour stage. July 14, 1936 was one of his best days on a bike. He was a Dutch Belgian or a Belgian Dutchman, as you might say. Theo was born and raised in Kieldrecht, literally on the border with the Netherlands and Belgium. This gravel road on the Theo Middelkamp route also runs on the border with the Netherlands and Belgium. That makes sense, as Johan Cruijff would say.
Ostburg for starters
The advantage of the wind is that you can ride it once, and then continue riding with it. We start in Oostburg, near the water tower. On to the east! After we have flown towards IJzendijke on the wings of the wind, we stop at the windmill, where a small gravel path invites us to ride up a bit anyway. Even if it’s just for the photo. The water hole and coffee break at the adjacent PLUS supermarket are also handy. The bolus at the PLUS is of a different quality than that of the Bakery Sint-Paulus in Sluis.
You can take this route as a kind of boundary-breaking experience. We drive almost 90 kilometers on mostly unpaved roads. We regularly cross the border during those kilometers. Both in the fight with the wind and literally across the national border. Long stretches of rattling gravel, but sometimes also a farmers’ path. The gravel track where we see Theo Middelkamp’s name again is beautifully situated. A star in Paris-Roubaix, maximum.
Rivers and banks
We are crossing another border: namely through the fences at the various streams, which can be found just in Belgium. The path along the streams is beautiful and peaceful, but you have to go over a fence a few times. My traveling companion Terry and I get more agile with the fence. It also creates beautiful images, with the tall grass moving with the wind. Further along the streams we see some fishermen staring stoically at their fishing rods. Whether it’s raining or not, they are going nowhere. Or if they have caught anything, that remains to be seen.
Have a snack
When we leave Belgium again, we come to Restaurant de Grens in Eede. We are met very kindly received. The coffee is exactly what you would expect and the accompanying lunch provides renewed energy for our journey. Because we are not there yet. A brief explanation of the local dialect (IJzendijke is actually ‘Iezendieke’, but Oostburg is apparently also equivalent to ‘Woesburg’. It almost sounds like Woefburg, from the series ‘Go-dog-Go’, which incidentally is a favorite of my children. The ‘lèkstok’ (yes, indeed, a lollipop) I leave behind.
Only in the world
What stands out on our travel days is that very few people brave the beautiful gravel paths of Zeeland Flanders with us. What’s more: in three full days of cycling, we literally encounter no one on the unpaved roads. Perhaps the locals would like to keep it that way, but we would rather say: COME HERE!
Behind the church
We now cross the fields along the church paths. On the left and right, the views are beautiful; the gravel under the wheels is really hard. We continue on, back towards our starting point. Here we have a really nice long stretch of grey gravel ahead of us. We follow the adjacent canal and with the sun still a little in our faces, it’s a real treat! Zeeland-West Flanders is showing its best side. We zoom over a beautiful path, protected by tall trees. It really could be less, they would say in Groningen.
The weather on this day proves that not everything is rosy. We cycled hard, but in the end we really have to sprint towards the finish line, so as not to get completely soaked. Because the weather gods have sent a hefty load of water from the sea our way. With a small drop on our helmet, but with a satisfied feeling, we head back towards the beautiful driveway of ‘The Breydelhoeve‘Op. Retranchement is increasingly starting to feel like home. In that respect, a boundary has also been pushed aside. We really enjoy being here.
Book your stay at the Breydelhoeve
Tips about the region
- You won’t find better cake anywhere than at Sint Paulus in Sluis. We already mentioned the Bolus earlier, but if you come by again on a second day, the bread pudding is just as highly recommended.
- In Sint Anna ter Muiden you drive through a protected village landscape. If you have time, take a look at the restored Dutch Reformed church!
- In IJzendijke you will find it Museum ’t Bolwerk, The museum about the Spanish state lines.
- Our lunch was at Restaurant de Grens in Eede. Perfect for our route.
- In our base camp Retranchement you will find the beautiful Standard mill from 1818. Once good for a good wind load.
Questions & tips
Do you have any questions about this route, or have you been there yourself? Share them here. We read everything and usually respond within a few days.