...in the heart of the village of chocolate

For hikers

1. Nature reserve Beneden-Dender

In the nature reserve Beneden Dender (845 hectare) two mapped hiking trails traverse the sub-reserves.

The Vossewegelroute (10 km) crosses Wiestermeers, Hannaerden and Bellebroek. The hiking trail Alfons De Cock allows you to enjoy fauna and flora of Hoge Donk.

The nature reserve Beneden -Dender is constituted by these four sub-regions.

Wiestermeers

Wiestermeers is the oldest part of the reserve and consists of wetlands and forests between Wieze and Denderbelle. This region has some important assets in its various Denderarmen mostly surrounded by pollard willows. The ditch grasshopper almost extinct still has its habitat in Wiestermeers. The trail Natuurpad allows you to explore Wiestermeers.

read on

Denderbellebroek

Denderbellebroek is a moist lowland area of mostly meadows. It is a very open area bordered by poplar and alder. The region is intersected by numerous bigger and smaller brooks. When there is a big risk for the Dender to flood Denderbellebroek acts as a polder.

read on

Hoge Donk

In 2000 the Hogedonk reserve was created on the left bank of the Dender in Gijzegem, Mespelare and Hofstade.

read on

Hannaerden

Hannaerden is a moist area in the valley of Paasbeek and borders to Wieze. The village Wieze developed along the Roman road from Aalst to Baasrode. This old road still is the central axis in the village. Hannaerden or Aan-aarden would mean along the road

read on

2. Other walks in Wieze and surroundings

Apart from the walks in the Beneden-Dender valley, in which B&B Wiezebed is situated, you can also make these walks

• at < 1 km from B&B Wiezebed: the Faluintjesstreek (read on)
• at 1.2 km from B&B Wiezebed: the Vliegenetersroute - for those who like to explore Wieze on foot (read on)

In every borough from Lebbeke you find the 1000-steps walking routes. There's also a lot of opportunities in the surrounding villages an cities.

A little further way from B&B Wiezebed you find

• Kravaalbos (read on)
• Affligem (read on)
• Buggenhoutbos (meer info)
• Berlare (Donkmeer; Nieuwdonk; De eendenkooi)

For bikers

There's also a lot to live for bikers; there's quite some biking routes in the surroundings of B&B Wiezebed, i.e.

• < 1 km from B&B Wiezebed: the Millennium route (mountain-bikers only) (read on)
• 1.2 km from B&B Wiezebed: the 12 Geslachten route (read on)
• 1.2 km from B&B Wiezebed: the Hoppetocht (read on)
• 1.2 km from B&B Wiezebed: the Denderende Stedentocht (read on)
• 1.2 km from B&B Wiezebed: the Ros Beiaard route (read on)
• 1.2 km from B&B Wiezebed: the Faluintjes route (read on)
• 1.5 km from B&B Wiezebed: the LF38 Dender-Waasland route (read on)
• 3 km from B&B Wiezebed: the Reuzen route (read on)

You can also plan your own route by use of the Knooppunten network from Scheldeland.

B&B Wiezebed is ideally located to start cycling tours along the Dender (3 km) or the Schelde (8 km). Both of these rivers can be joined on bicycle friendly roads.

To do in the region

Wieze is part of the municipality of Lebbeke in Eastern Flanders in the Dender region, approximately 10 km from Aalst and Dendermonde. The former pub 't Oud Gemeentehuis. Since 1981 the whole of the city center is protected as valuable. There's also a remarkable old oak, known as den dikken eik. Other places of interest in Wieze are the castle domain with its ice cellars, the old tavern Het Neerhof, a beautiful 17th century vicarage, the Molen chapel,...

The most important activity isWies Karnaval. Every year there's a carnival procession 2 weeks after Oilsjt Karnaval.

In the region Wieze is mostly known for its Oktoberhallen in which from 1957 to 1986 brewery Van Roy organised its Oktoberfeesten. Nowadays Oktoberhallen are Oktoberhallen used for numerous evens. The brewing tradition is still alive (Brewery Wieze won some prices for theirWieze beer.

As well known: the chocolate factory Barry Callebaut. Barry Callebaut's factory in Wieze is the biggest chocolate factory in the world and is the most important employer of the region. Thanks to a biomass plant this chocolate is produced without CO2-emissions. Since January 2011 there's a gamma of Callebaut Fair-trade chocolate available.

Aalst: a cozy shopping city, Central Place (with belfort, city Hall, Borse Van Amsterdam,...), museums, Keizersplein, CC De Werf,... Famous for its carnival (Unesco), Daens and Louis Paul Boon. Also worth visiting: the Faluintjes region with its yearly Pikkeling festivities

Dendermonde: is a fortified city with the attractive Central Place, belfort, Begijnhof, museums,... Dendermonde is especially known for its Ros Beiaard.

Affligem: known for his abbey and the beer that's brewed there, Ambassadeur Flanders Lekkerland 2010 - 2012 (hoppe), a lot of biking- and hiking routes (beautiful nature)

B&B Wiezebed is situated at 30 minutes from Brussels, Ghent, Antwerp, Sint-Niklaas, Lokeren,...

Location