A hop bike tour in Flanders Fields
Hop region and Trappist beers: landscapes full of flavour
Start
Start: Hop Museum on Market Square in Poperinge
Poperinge is rich in stories. Many of them are connected to the First World War. The Westhoek, also known as Flanders Fields, was the scene of some the most important battles of the Great War. The countless military cemeteries and memorials have shaped the landscape. Poperinge also plays an important role in Belgian beer culture as the capital of hop growing. Hops are one of the main ingredients in beer. They give the barley brew its characteristic bitterness, aroma and taste. Curious to find out more? Then you're in luck. Just a stone's throw from Market Square, you will find the Hop Museum. Here you can immerse yourself in hop growing, past and present. You can smell, feel and taste top-quality Belgian hops. Want to experience a little more? The museum also organises tasting tours and even workshops where you can brew your own beer. But first, let's get going.
Nine Elms
After a short ride, we find ourselves surrounded by greenery, in a beautiful panorama of hills and expansive fields. The landscape takes on an extra dimension when Nine Elms British Cemetery appears on the horizon. Enclosed by a low wall, we see hundreds of white gravestones, arranged in neat rows. This is one of the many military cemeteries in the region. It is the final resting place of some 1,600 soldiers who died in both world wars.
Belhop
About a kilometre further on, a sign catches our attention. It is marked Belhop. This is where the Boeraeve family has been supplying the very best quality hops for five generations. You can visit the hop fields or join one of their many events, such as literary walks. Want to relive it afterwards? Then a delicious Saison Lokaal is the ideal accompaniment. Prefer a non-alcoholic drink? Then Goeste Hopsiroop is a cola variant based on local hop varieties. Delicious!
Helleketel
After this brief stop-off, we ride on towards the Helleketelbos (forest). This picturesque nature reserve is a great place for a walk, but today we're just cycling past it. We end up at the Helleketel. In this authentic pub, you can play traditional games while enjoying a refreshing local beer or a picon-bière, a regional speciality. Picon is an aperitif made from orange peel. In the border region, it is often mixed with lager: deliciously refreshing, spicy sweet and with a slightly bitter aftertaste.
St. Bernadus Brewery
A little further on, we arrive at St. Bernardus Brewery. You can discover the stories of this brewery on their interactive Brewery Tour. At the rooftop Bar Bernard, enjoy a snack and a drink with a beautiful view. You seem to be floating above the hop fields.
Watou
This cycle tour is clearly for the bon vivants among us. This is plain to see in the village of Watou, which celebrates everything good life has to offer. During the summer months, this charming area is dedicated to the arts during the Watou Arts Festival. Watou also has a passion for Belgian beer culture. For example, 't Hommelhof is a superb restaurant with traditional beer cuisine.
't Hoppecruyt
After sampling Watou, the expansive fields lead us to the next village: Proven. That brings us to another vibrant family business. Benedikte and Wouter are the fourth generation to run 't Hoppecruyt. They grow products with the aim of offering the very best food and drink. The hops are used for beer, while the hop shoots are used in dishes. These hop shoots are the young and fresh shoots of the hop plant. They are known as a spring delicacy and are very popular with top chefs throughout Flanders. You can learn about modern hop growing at this exciting address. After a guided tour, enjoy a tasting while the singing hop farmer treats you to traditional harvest songs.
Sint-Sixtus Abbey in Westvleteren
And then the best is yet to come. As we make our way through the rolling countryside, a signpost makes our mouths water. Our next destination? Westvleteren. This unassuming village has a name that resonates throughout the beer world. It owes its fame to Sint-Sixtus Abbey, where the Trappist monks are said to perform miracles. They brew the famous Westvleteren Trappist beer. The majestically complex Westvleteren XII has even been voted World's Best Beer on several occasions. This iconic beer is brewed in limited quantities. It is not distributed in just any 'ordinary' shops and restaurants. Keen to try this icon? De Vrede, directly opposite the abbey, is the only pub in the world where this divine drink is sold. It doesn't get any more authentic than that. Would you like to take a few bottles home with you? Try your luck in the adjoining shop.
Back to Poperinge Market
Grinning from ear to ear, we get back on our bikes. We weave our way between the Canadabos and De Lovie castle domain, past military cemeteries and outstretched fields. We gradually make our way to Poperinge, the start and finish of our adventure. A guard of honour of metre-high hop vines leads us back to the town. There is still a lot of great stuff to discover here. The Hop Museum provides the theory, while Biercafé Gast and Goeste Restaurant & Tearoom welcome us for the practical side. In Goeste, you can also sample a refreshing alcohol-free hop and ginger lemonade and discover local, short-chain dishes, all from West Flanders!
Finish
Practical details
- Parking
There are several free car parks within walking distance of the city centre: Oudstrijdersplein, Gasthuisplein or JOC De Kouter. Click here for a complete overview of the free city car parks. - Public transport:
Poperinge Station - Bike rental:
Tourist Overview Poperinge - Nodes:
40-9-89-16-72-3-86-85-39-83-54-99-77-76-78-65-17-63-2-23-6-96-92-98-68-67-66-26-66-26-58-42-36-5-89-9-40
