We have had such wonderful weather for over a week.  On Monday Ian was still working away at something and I went for a bike ride on my own.

I started off on a cycle/horse/hiking path called the Fronzate.  

The Fonzate,a long straight cycle path

It used to be the railway line to the coast and is about a metre higher than the surrounding land.  During the First World War the Belgians opened the locks at Nieuwpoort and allowed the sea to flood the low lying ground in a last attempt to halt the German’s advance.  It worked.  And the flood waters were stopped at the Fronzate rail line.

The Allied troops moved from the railway line to the trenches at the front (some kms away) via raised board walks across the sodden polders and through trenches in the isolated “islands” of higher ground.

A boardwalk past an ruined farm

Then I chose a winding route along some really narrow paths. 

There are many information boards about WW1 and archeological finds

Stuivenskerke

This path is about 50cm wide

My route took me past The Dodengang - The Trench of Death

Thoroughly enjoyable.

At 5.00 Ian came back from Buitenbeentje and suggested we leave right away for Knokkebrug.  There was still and hour of light left, we could just make it before dark.  So off we went.

Joerie working on his barge

Knokkebrug at dusk

Chris and Connie from the pub at Knokkebrug arrived soon after we tied up.  The pub was closed that night but they said we could come in for a drink and even invited us for dinner.   I had already started dinner cooking and we have to use up all the food on board before we leave so  we declined dinner but went for a drink and had a great evening, then they refused payment!  What a wonderful end to our autumn cruise.  We go home tomorrow so this is my last post.