History route of Sluis and Het Zwin
Cadzand-Bad, Sluis, Retranchement
Het Zwin, on the border of Belgium and the Netherlands, is a special nature reserve with a rich history and ecology. This area from Knokke-Heist to Cadzand offers a mix of dunes, lakes and beaches. Het Zwin is a wonderful place for nature lovers and the habitat of various plants and animals. Het Zwin has a long history dating back to the Middle Ages. The area was created around the 12th century by a series of storm tides that entered the land and formed a natural channel. Thanks to this connection, Bruges grew into an important trading city. Ships from all over the world found their way to Bruges via Het Zwin, so the area played a major role in the region's economic development. Around the 14th century, natural areas often began to silt up and Het Zwin became less and less accessible to ships. By the end of the 16th century, Het Zwin was largely no longer accessible to shipping. Bruges lost its status as a trading town to Antwerp and later to other ports. What remained was a unique nature reserve that developed into a valuable tidal area. The route takes you further through the town of Sluis, a town with an illustrious past. In the Middle Ages, it was the most important Burgundian port and Philip the Good married Isabella of Portugal there. In the 13th century, Sluis was not only an important trading town, but was also used as a home base for troops in the Hundred Years' War. A Belfry was built, a large bell tower that rang when there was danger. During the Eighty Years' War, the town again played an important role. In 1587, Sluis was conquered by the Spaniards. A year later, the town was recaptured by the States. At the same time, a retrenchment was built between the forts of Oranje and Nassau. After Fort Oranje was partly destroyed during a storm flood, a dam was built there, which eventually grew into the town of Retranchement. During this cycle route, you will discover the rich history and nature of this special area!
| Directions | Distance | Total distance | |
|
Start: Boulevard de Wielingen 99-203, 4506 JL Sluis | 36.3 KM | |
|
From
32
to
29
|
2346 M | 2.3 KM | |
| Head southwest on Boulevard de Wielingen | 31 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Kanaalweg | 55 M | ||
| Continue straight | 169 M | ||
| Turn right | 53 M | ||
| Turn left | 1.4 KM | ||
| Turn left | 11 M | ||
| Turn left | 335 M | ||
| Keep left at the fork | 117 M | ||
| Turn right onto Duinweg | 173 M | ||
| You are now at section 29 | 0 M | ||
|
From
29
to
86
|
4319 M | 4.3 KM | |
| Head southwest | 435 M | ||
| Turn right | 1.1 KM | ||
| Keep straight at the fork | 26 M | ||
| Keep straight at the fork | 285 M | ||
| Keep left at the fork | 49 M | ||
| Continue straight | 278 M | ||
| Keep right onto Nieuwe Internationale Dijk | 414 M | ||
| Keep right onto Nieuwe Internationale Dijk | 477 M | ||
| Keep right onto Nieuwe Internationale Dijk | 288 M | ||
| Keep left onto Internationale Dijk | 113 M | ||
| Keep straight onto Internationale Dijk | 27 M | ||
| Keep right onto Internationale Dijk | 239 M | ||
| Keep left onto Nieuwe Internationale Dijk | 521 M | ||
| Continue onto Internationale Dijk | 42 M | ||
| You are now at section 86 | 0 M | ||
|
From
86
to
18
|
791 M | 0.8 KM | |
| Head northwest | 187 M | ||
| Turn left onto Zenopad | 604 M | ||
| You are now at section 18 | 0 M | ||
|
From
18
to
4
|
2731 M | 2.7 KM | |
| Head northwest on Zenopad | 687 M | ||
| Keep right onto Zenopad | 1.3 KM | ||
| Turn left | 387 M | ||
| Turn left | 374 M | ||
| Continue onto Wiedauwpad | 32 M | ||
| You are now at section 4 | 0 M | ||
|
From
4
to
45
|
307 M | 0.3 KM | |
| Head southwest | 307 M | ||
| You are now at section 45 | 0 M | ||
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From
45
to
49
|
185 M | 0.2 KM | |
| Head south | 139 M | ||
| Make a slight right | 32 M | ||
| Continue straight | 14 M | ||
| You are now at section 49 | 0 M | ||
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From
49
to
73
|
1737 M | 1.7 KM | |
| Head southwest on Oosthoekplein | 34 M | ||
| Turn left onto Paulusstraat | 105 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Eikenlaan | 931 M | ||
| Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Boslaan | 34 M | ||
| Exit the roundabout onto Boslaan | 633 M | ||
| You are now at section 73 | 0 M | ||
|
From
73
to
52
|
3241 M | 3.2 KM | |
| Head east on Graaf Jansdijk | 3.2 KM | ||
| Make a slight right | 6 M | ||
| You are now at section 52 | 0 M | ||
|
From
52
to
59
|
327 M | 0.3 KM | |
| Head northeast | 128 M | ||
| Make a slight left | 199 M | ||
| You are now at section 59 | 0 M | ||
|
From
59
to
50
|
527 M | 0.5 KM | |
| Head southeast | 511 M | ||
| Continue straight | 16 M | ||
| You are now at section 50 | 0 M | ||
|
From
50
to
53
|
1935 M | 1.9 KM | |
| Head southwest | 22 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Retranchementstraat | 218 M | ||
| Turn left onto Burkeldijk | 747 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Burkeldijk | 500 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Dikkedijk | 448 M | ||
| You are now at section 53 | 0 M | ||
|
From
53
to
93
|
2010 M | 2 KM | |
| Head southeast on Dikkedijk | 45 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Graafjansdijk | 1.5 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Jonkvrouw Geilstraat | 86 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Jonkvrouw Geilstraat | 262 M | ||
| Turn left onto Marktplein | 52 M | ||
| Turn right onto Haven | 60 M | ||
| Turn left onto Sint Annastraat; St. Annastraat | 38 M | ||
| You are now at section 93 | 0 M | ||
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From
93
to
98
|
1312 M | 1.3 KM | |
| Head south on Haven | 12 M | ||
| Turn left onto Sint Annastraat; St. Annastraat | 1.3 KM | ||
| You are now at section 98 | 0 M | ||
|
From
98
to
94
|
453 M | 0.5 KM | |
| Head south on Jaagpad | 453 M | ||
| You are now at section 94 | 0 M | ||
|
From
94
to
99
|
1024 M | 1 KM | |
| Head south | 6 M | ||
| Continue straight | 38 M | ||
| Continue straight | 5 M | ||
| Turn left onto Sint Donaes | 99 M | ||
| Turn right | 656 M | ||
| Continue straight | 10 M | ||
| Continue straight | 210 M | ||
| You are now at section 99 | 0 M | ||
|
From
99
to
97
|
1276 M | 1.3 KM | |
| Head northeast | 39 M | ||
| Turn left | 1.2 KM | ||
| Turn left | 42 M | ||
| You are now at section 97 | 0 M | ||
|
From
97
to
96
|
807 M | 0.8 KM | |
| Head northwest on Zuiddijk | 557 M | ||
| Turn right onto Sint Pieterstraat | 243 M | ||
| Make a slight left | 7 M | ||
| You are now at section 96 | 0 M | ||
|
From
96
to
31
|
3875 M | 3.9 KM | |
| Head north on Hoogstraat | 1.4 KM | ||
| Continue straight | 1 M | ||
| Continue onto Provinciale weg | 131 M | ||
| Turn left onto Zeedijk | 2 KM | ||
| Turn right to stay on Zeedijk | 324 M | ||
| You are now at section 31 | 0 M | ||
|
From
31
to
30
|
1063 M | 1.1 KM | |
| Head north on Killedijk | 516 M | ||
| Turn left onto Dorpsstraat | 547 M | ||
| You are now at section 30 | 0 M | ||
|
From
30
to
33
|
3664 M | 3.7 KM | |
| Head northeast on Markt | 341 M | ||
| Turn left | 194 M | ||
| Turn left onto Cadzandseweg | 578 M | ||
| Turn right onto Groene weg | 476 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Groene weg | 593 M | ||
| Turn right onto Koolsweg | 626 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Koolsweg | 834 M | ||
| Turn left onto Prinsestraat | 22 M | ||
| You are now at section 33 | 0 M | ||
|
From
33
to
32
|
2373 M | 2.4 KM | |
| Head northwest on Badhuisweg | 1.2 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Badhuisweg | 25 M | ||
| Turn left onto Noorddijk | 245 M | ||
| Continue slight right | 42 M | ||
| Continue slight right onto Duinlaan | 157 M | ||
| Continue straight | 6 M | ||
| Turn left | 322 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Boulevard de Wielingen | 391 M | ||
| You are now at section 32 | 0 M |