Quiet water walking along the Damme Canal
Our apartments stand right beside the Damme Canal, so a walk begins the moment you step outside. The towpath runs flat and straight in both directions, with water on one side and a long line of tall trees along the bank. It is the side of Bruges that guests most often tell us they did not expect to find.
The path starts at the door
There is no bus to catch and no route to puzzle out first. Turn left or right on the quay and you are already on the path beside the water.
Cyclists use the same towpath, but it is wide and calm, so walkers and bikes pass each other without much fuss. The surface is even and there is not a single hill along the whole canal, which makes it as suitable for a slow evening stroll as for a longer morning walk.
Towards the city centre
Walk towards town and you reach the historic centre in roughly twenty to twenty five minutes. You pass the old windmills on the city ramparts, slip into the streets behind them and arrive at the old town from a quieter side than most visitors do.
We like this direction early in the day, when the city is still waking up and the terraces are being set out. Walking back after dinner is a different experience again, with dark water beside you and the trees closing in over the path.
Towards Damme
In the other direction the canal runs out into open polder land, about five kilometres to Damme. The trees stand in a straight double line on both banks and after a while the sound of the city disappears completely.
You can walk the full stretch and find your way back by bus or taxi, or simply turn around whenever you feel like it. Plenty of guests prefer to cycle this part, and there are rental bicycles at the building for exactly that. Damme itself has its church tower, second hand bookshops and a few terraces to sit down at.
Choosing your own distance
A walk does not need a destination to be worth doing. Twenty minutes out and the same back is enough to clear your head after a day of museums and cobblestones.
If you would rather walk towards something, the windmills on the city side and the first bridges on the Damme side both make natural turning points. Ask us and we will show you where they are.
The canal through the seasons
In spring the banks turn green and the light falls through the young leaves. In summer the trees give shade over most of the route, which is welcome on warm afternoons.
Autumn is our own favourite. The colour runs along the entire line of the canal and there is mist over the water early in the morning. In winter the path lies bare and wide open, quiet apart from a few walkers and the occasional heron on the bank.
What to take with you
- Shoes that cope with a packed earth path, especially after rain
- A bottle of water, since there are no shops along the canal itself
- A light jacket, because there is often a breeze over open water
- Your camera or phone, as the long row of trees photographs well in any weather
Practical, from the apartment
- The towpath starts on the quay in front of the building, so no transport is needed
- The Market Square is 1.9 km away, roughly 20 to 25 minutes on foot
- Damme lies about 5 km along the same canal, flat and with little traffic
- Bicycles can be rented at the building if you would rather ride than walk
- Free parking is a two minute walk away, so the car can stay where it is