Toerism in Scheldeland
A partnership between Toerisme Oost-Vlaanderen (Tourism East Flanders) and the Province of Antwerp to highlight all hotspots in Scheldeland.
The Scheldeland is a Flemish region stretching along the Scheldt, Dender and Rupel rivers. Among other geological features, the area is known for the Boom Cuesta and its brick industry.
CHARACTERISTICS
At first glance, miles of car-free towpaths, pleasant dike roads and free ferry services. But geology does not stand still here.
Ancient marine clay layers some 30 million years old (for geologists: the Boom Clay from the Rupelian) are coming to the surface in this region. As a result, an intriguing mix of historic industrial landscape and nature has developed here that can be seen beautifully throughout the area.
In turn, the quarries along the Rupel are known among fossil seekers for the snails, bivalves and fish remains from the Boom Formation and the shark teeth in the overlying sands of the Berchem Formation.
LOCATION
The Scheldeland region is located southeast of Antwerp and covers the Geopark partner municipalities of Berlare, Boom, Bornem, Buggenhout, Destelbergen, Ghent, Hamme, Laarne, Merelbeke, Niel, Puurs-Sint-Amands, Rumst, Wetteren and Zele.
The Scheldt meandering through the landscape
At the end of the last ice age, a large increase in water discharge through the Scheldt occurred and the river temporarily began to meander very strongly. Numerous paleo-manders and meander ridges (located in the inner bends of the meanders) are still present in the Scheldt country. An exemplary example of this is near Berlare. Here the meander bends and meander values are exceptionally well developed and well preserved.
Near Bornem lies the Old Scheldt, a cut-off stretch of river surrounded by a medieval landscape of meadows (hay meadows in flood plains) and wet pocket forests. Striking in the area are the many meadows (kolkaten) that were created by dike breaches and now often have a rich natural value.
Scheldeland is pre-eminently an area to explore by bicycle or on foot. A beautiful landscape with a special variety of landscape, nature, heritage and a rich variety of regional products.
