Schilde between parkland, history and cycling routes

Schilde combines diverse landscapes with cultural and historical discoveries and several signposted routes for walks, bike rides and horse rides. Those planning a trip with different ideas for each day will find both parkland and woodland areas here, as well as military heritage sites, a Renaissance herb garden and an art museum. When looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home in Schilde, it is therefore worth deciding on your preferred holiday focus first.

Parkland and nature in Schilde

A distinctive place to start is Schildehof, a historic castle estate with parkland, a pond and an extensive woodland area. Schildehof is freely accessible from sunrise to sunset. This provides a clear framework for starting the day in nature or taking a quiet walk, without implying any specific length of stay.

The Antitankgracht also shapes the character of the surrounding area. It connects almost all the stream valleys in the region, from the Schoon Schijn in Kapellen to the Grote Schijn in Schilde. Its vegetation is varied; the landscape changes depending on the vegetation, soil and surroundings. Meadows and woodland landscapes can be found along the Kleine Beek. Those who want to combine nature with physical activity rather than simply observe it can incorporate these different landscape areas into their travel plans.

Cultural and historical sites and distinctive garden art

The Schans van Schilde is an elliptical military site surrounded by water, located between Fort van 's Gravenwezel and Fort van Oelegem. It belongs to the protected cultural and historical landscape of the Antitankgracht; this protection has been in place since 31 May 2007. The municipality uses the Schans as a walking and recreation area, and it is also part of the Antitank cycling route. The site and the bunkers located there are wintering grounds for bats within a Habitats Directive area.

The Fort van 's Gravenwezel and the Kasteel van 's Gravenwezel provide further historical highlights. The fort was incorporated into the Antitankgracht in 1939 and decommissioned by a regency decision dated 2 April 1947. The Kasteel van 's Gravenwezel is a moated castle believed to date from the 15th to the 17th century, situated within a square moat. The associated landscaped park was created between 1783 and 1786 based on a design by B. Gaine.

At the Dodoenstuin, you can experience a 16th-century Renaissance herb garden with useful plants and several organic vegetable gardens. The garden is located in the recognised nature area De Pont and is accessible through an 18th-century gate decorated with rocaille ornamentation. The Albert Van Dyck Museum displays more than 190 paintings and drawings by the artist. Albert Van Dyck is considered one of the leading figures of Animism. At the churchyard of the Sint-Guibertus parish, you will also find gravestones dating from the 17th to the 20th century, as well as a pointed-arch Calvary chapel built into the wall, made of natural stone and featuring a crucified Christ.

Walking, cycling and horse riding

Schilde offers several clearly distinct options for active days. Along the Antitankgracht, there is a signposted 4.5-kilometre Fit Tour with exercise activities for young and old. The Fit-o-meter comprises 8 stations and 16 exercises. The walking package “Wandelingen voor mindermobielen en ouderen” also includes a route in Schilde for people with reduced mobility and older people.

Cyclists can choose between routes of different lengths. The red mountain bike loop through Schilde is 30 kilometres long and starts at Werf 44, Schoolstraat 44. The green mountain bike loop is 15 kilometres long and starts at Schildestrand, Noorderlaan 16. The Kastelenroute passes through Schoten, Schilde, Brasschaat and Wijnegem, is 45 kilometres long and includes 12 kilometres of car-free route. For a horse ride, the signposted Ruiterpad Voorkempen is available as a 33-kilometre day ride. The designated paths of this Ruiterpad run entirely on public land.

Choosing the right accommodation for your type of trip

Schilde is therefore suitable as a destination for very different travel plans: You can focus on parkland and nature, visit cultural and historical sites or plan several active days of walking and cycling. This keeps the decision aligned with your planned trip, without presupposing distances, amenities or availability.

For further destinations to include in your travel planning, you can also discover Ravels, Wommelgem, Kapellen, Hoogstraten, Boom, Grobbendonk, Vosselaar and Dessel.

For the higher-level travel overview: Antwerp Province.