Beveren, an expanding commune near Antwerp

The November outing will bring us to Beveren, a municipality situated in the North Eastern corner of the province of East Flanders ( Oost-Vlaanderen) and more particularly in the Waasland region.

It’s a commune marked and shaped by the Schelde river, its tides and polders, which now stands out for its strong economic development driven by the steady expansion of the Port of Antwerp.

The greater municipality of Beveren, better known as “Groot Beveren” and bordered to the South and the East by the river Schelde and to the North by the Netherlands (province of Zeeland), includes, with the exception of Beveren, 6 other merger towns and villages, including among others, Doel and Kallo. This makes Beveren the largest municipality in terms of surface area after Antwerp and Gent.

In early times the Beveren area was at the edge of the sea and heavenly influenced by the tides. So it is not surprising that the first habitants started erecting dams and dykes to protect them from inundations and to reclaim arable land. These efforts were reinforced first by religious communities and  local nobility, in later times more in particular by the Arenberg family who owned many lands in the area and  which carried out important land reclamation works (inpolderingswerken).

These works lead also  to the creation of the Prosperpolder, a small village comprising a church, a large farm and a number of small houses. The farmhouse, which has recently be restored, now houses a visitor centre, a starting point for discovering  the surroundings, which offers a unique landscape and biodiversity. It’s also an opportunity to learn more on land reclamation during the ages.

In line with that, our tour will bring us to the “Verdronken Land van Saeftinghe” or the “Drowned Land of Saeftinghe”, a unique nature reserve located on the border between the Netherlands and Belgium. It is the largest brackish water tidal marsh in Europe, covering an area of about 3580 hectares. The area is known for its extensive mudflats, salt marshes and as such a haven for bird watchers and nature lovers.

The port of the Waasland (Waaslandhaven) on the left bank of the Schelde river covers an important part of Beveren and faces the Port of Antwerp on the other side of the river. During a guided coach tour we will be told about this major economic growth pole and industrial site . The area covers more than 4500 hectares of which 2500 hectares are exploited as business parks. During our visit we will stop at the Kieldrecht Lock (Kieldrechtsluis) , the largest lock in the world in terms of water volume. The lock, which was opened in June 2016, gives access to the left-bank docks of the Port of Antwerp.

We will have a short stop in Doel, a village that was planned to be demolished in the framework of port extension plans but who after years of protests got a new lease of life in 2022. A local monument will remind us of the role the British army played in liberating  Antwerp at the end of WWII.

Verdronken Land van Saeftinghe (© Marcelle Davidse)

Programme and practical arrangements

Meeting point and time: Prosperpolderhoeve, Belgische Dreef, 8  –  9130 Beveren, 10.00 am

10.00-10.30: welcome coffee/tea in Prosperpolder /hoeve

10.30-11.30:  guided visit of Prosperpolder/hoeve

11.30- 12.30: guided coach tour of the “ Drowned Land of Saefthinge”

12.30- 14.00: lunch in Paviljoen ‘t Schor , Havenstraat 54 4569 Paal ( NL)

Lunch will consist of 2 courses including a glass of wine/beer/soft drink/water plus coffee and tea. Vegetarian or gluten free meals will be served to participants who indicated this at registration.

14.00-17.00 : Visit of the Waaslandhaven, the Kieldrecht Lock and Doel by coach and return to Prosperpolder

If you have registered and paid for this event, let the organisers know, preferably by e-mail, and they will inform you of additional guidelines as well as the list of participants in the week preceding the outing.

Kieldrechtsluis

How to get to Prosperpolder:

Approximately 1 hour drive from Brussels.

By car:

from Brussels take the E19 to Antwerp. At the the junction Antwerpen Zuid follow the signposts Brugge/Gent/Haven 1000-2000. Continue on Ring 1 and take the N49; get off at exit 10 towards Sint-Gillis-Waas/Kieldrecht/Vrasene. After 400m turn right into Verrrebroekstraat /N451. Drive through Vrasene > at the roundabout take the first road > at the next roundabout take the second road: Hazopweg,

> after approximately 4 km, turn left into Middenstraat.

> after 1 km, turn left – Oude Sluisstraat,

> after 2 km, turn left into Petrusstraat,

> after 2 km, turn into the ‘Belgische Dreef’. At no. 8 you will find the Prosperpolderhoeve, the end point.

By public transport:

Because it is virtually impossible to get there by public transport, the organizer would greatly appreciate it if members/participants declare themselves willing to facilitate carpooling or make their offer for a lift known to less mobile fellow members who want to participate.