Royal Destination Lokeren and the Durme
It is not always a destination far away, which touches you the most.
Recently my family and I were walking alongside the Durme. This is a
river in Lokeren, East Flanders in the northern Part of Belgium.
Walking near the river, I suddenly was curious about its history and
of course, I decided that I wanted to know more about the Durme.
Some royal history
During the Middle Ages the Durme was much longer, she started at St.
Joris near Beernem and then she went east untill Vinderhoute. There
the Durme merged with the Poekebeek (which came from Tielt).
The city of Ghent wanted a connection with the North Sea and the
Western Scheldt.
In 1613 the Brugsche Vaart was dug out. This is nowadays a part of the
channel of Ghent-Ostend.
Between 1823 and 1827 the channel of Ghent-Terneuzen was made and
the Durme was cut off from her source and its headwaters. Due to this,
parts of the Durme were sanded. To continue the shipping trafic dredging
work was needed.
In the 1930's some of the dykes of the Durme were flooded. The
catastrophe was visited by King Albert I of Belgium.
Later lots of public works were carried out to protect the dykes and the
cities/towns near the river.
A visit
The Durme in Lokeren in East Flanders is easy to visit. It is located not far from the
city's center and the railway station.
For me and my family it always is a nice walk in the middle of a natural environment.
Walking is the ideal way to spend a beautiful sunny afternoon.
Recently my family and I were walking alongside the Durme. This is a
river in Lokeren, East Flanders in the northern Part of Belgium.
Walking near the river, I suddenly was curious about its history and
of course, I decided that I wanted to know more about the Durme.
 |
| Lokeren Durme Belgium |
 |
| Lokere Durme Belgium |
Some royal history
During the Middle Ages the Durme was much longer, she started at St.
Joris near Beernem and then she went east untill Vinderhoute. There
the Durme merged with the Poekebeek (which came from Tielt).
The city of Ghent wanted a connection with the North Sea and the
Western Scheldt.
In 1613 the Brugsche Vaart was dug out. This is nowadays a part of the
channel of Ghent-Ostend.
Between 1823 and 1827 the channel of Ghent-Terneuzen was made and
the Durme was cut off from her source and its headwaters. Due to this,
parts of the Durme were sanded. To continue the shipping trafic dredging
work was needed.
In the 1930's some of the dykes of the Durme were flooded. The
catastrophe was visited by King Albert I of Belgium.
King Albert I of Belgium
Source picture: Wikipedia
Later lots of public works were carried out to protect the dykes and the
cities/towns near the river.
 |
| Lokeren Durme Belgium |
 |
| Lokeren Durme Belgium - under the bridge |
A visit
The Durme in Lokeren in East Flanders is easy to visit. It is located not far from the
city's center and the railway station.
For me and my family it always is a nice walk in the middle of a natural environment.
Walking is the ideal way to spend a beautiful sunny afternoon.
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