Boekhoute: Harbours, Fishing and Border History

Boekhoute tells its story in several ways: fishing is featured in an exhibition and in the village square, while former harbours shape the landscape. There are also routes that explore the border history of the First World War. When planning your trip, you can choose between local history, art and themed walks.

Fishing History Between the Village Square and the Landscape

The “Vissersdorp zonder haven” exhibition tells the story of Boekhoute’s fishermen. Traces of this history can also be seen in the landscape: the three former harbours are still clearly visible today. The wooden boat BOU 8 Isabelle stands in the village square as a reminder of the village’s fishing past. Together, the exhibition, harbour remains and boat offer three different ways to explore the same theme: historical storytelling, traces in the landscape and a memorial. The “Op zoek naar de verdwenen havens” walk leads to the remains of the old harbours and makes their history a tangible part of the route.

Walks with Different Historical Themes

The border history can also be explored in different ways. On the “vluchtroute '14” experience walk, participants take on the role of a smuggler and try to smuggle a message across the border. The experience walk is offered year-round; check the specific details before booking.

The Meetjeslandse Dodendraad walking route is listed as 10.5 kilometres; route distances may vary slightly between publications. It follows the history of the First World War near the Dutch border and along the former electric border fence known as “Den Draad”. This offers a choice between two different types of walk: “vluchtroute '14” centres on actively taking on the role of a smuggler, while the Dodendraad route focuses on the historic border line and a specified distance.

The Boekhoute visitor centre is an official Toerisme Meetjesland information point and offers an extensive range of walking and cycling routes. Since 2019, two newly built Bailey bridges have allowed walkers and cyclists to cross the Leopold Canal at junctions 41 and 51 in Boekhoute. As the condition of the bridges may change, it is worth checking before setting out.

Art and Remembrance at Heilig Kruiskerk

Heilig Kruiskerk offers a different historical focus. It houses a permanent exhibition about the impact of the two world wars on the village of Boekhoute. It also contains a Stations of the Cross painted on canvas by F. Anseele of Ghent in 1871. The church thus brings together two distinct themes: remembrance of the wars’ effects on the village and a religious artwork from the 19th century. This breadth of period and subject gives the church its own place alongside the themes of fishing and border history.

Choose Your Holiday Rental Based on Your Itinerary

When looking for a holiday rental in Boekhoute, it helps to first decide what you want to focus on during your stay: cultural and historical topics relating to fishing and the church, or routes exploring the harbours or border history. Then compare the accommodation’s exact location with the routes you plan to take. For planning your days, the experience walk with its role-playing challenge is clearly distinct from the Dodendraad route, listed as 10.5 kilometres.

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