Roesbrugge-Haringe: IJzer Valley, History and Crafts

Roesbrugge-Haringe combines the IJzer, protected village views, impressive memorial sites and vibrant crafts. Those who want to combine a trip with nature, history and practical experiences will find various starting points here for planning their days. When looking for a holiday apartment, it is also worth first considering whether the trip should focus more on river landscapes, historical discoveries or creative activities.

IJzer, Valley and Paths through the Landscape

The IJzer flows through Roesbrugge and offers numerous river panoramas there. The IJzer Valley stretches along the IJzer to the Belgian-French border near Roesbrugge-Haringe. A former course of the IJzer has also been preserved near Roesbrugge and is called the Dode IJzer. The Dode IJzer Trail explores the Belgian-French border region, which is shaped by the Zwijnbeek, the IJzer and the Heidebeek.

For longer days in the countryside, the Westhoektrail Roesbrugge-Pollinkhove runs for 12 to 17.5 km through the flooded IJzer Valley. The route follows towpaths, low-traffic roads and unpaved paths. This allows you to align your plans with the desired route length and the character of the paths, without all excursions having to follow the same rhythm. In Haringe, packrafting is possible from the start of the Easter holidays until October. This seasonal opportunity adds another way of experiencing the landscape to the paths and river panoramas.

Village History and Memorial Sites

Roesbrugge was founded when a certain Rohard built a bridge across the IJzer. From the 14th century onwards, there was a weekly market and a free fair here, where anyone was allowed to set up a stall. A protected village scene has been designated in the centre of Haringe. It includes a church with a cemetery, a vicarage and two farmhouses.

St Martinus Church Roesbrugge is a hall church built in the 17th and 18th centuries to replace a chapel. During the First World War, its tower served as a transmitting and receiving station for communications by telegraph and telephone. Another historical focal point is Haringhe (Bandaghem) Military Cemetery in Roesbrugge-Haringe, which is protected as a monument. It is the burial place of 811 casualties from the First World War and five from the Second World War. The cemetery was designed by R. Blomfield and W. C. Von Berg. It was established in 1917 near so-called Casualty Clearing Stations, or field hospitals. In connection with the Third Battle of Flanders, the British Fifth Army decided to increase the number of these stations.

Karel de Blauwer can also be encountered in the village scene: on Haringeplein, at the intersection with Moenaardestraat, there is a bronze statue, a work by Rik Ryon. In the village centre of Haringe, there is also a statue of Karel de Blauwer, a legendary figure who embodies the smugglers of the past.

Crafts to See and Try

At Upstream Studio in Roesbrugge, Nathalie makes jewellery, soap and candles. The studio also offers workshops on watercolour techniques, making earrings and making artisanal soap. This allows a day of travel to take on a creative focus, while other days can be devoted to paths, water or village history.

At Stefan's Pottery, Stefan Ferlin creates works of art from stoneware clay. Visitors can watch the production of cups, breakfast bowls, goblets and egg cups there. Stefan's Pottery also offers short hands-on introductory sessions for individuals and provides all the necessary equipment and protective clothing. For a trip with different interests, both observational and practical experiences are therefore available.

The Right Base for Planning Your Trip

A holiday apartment in Roesbrugge-Haringe can serve as a starting point for various day-trip ideas: river panoramas along the IJzer, the Westhoektrail, the Dode IJzer Trail, historic village views or a workshop. What matters is less a general classification than your preferred travel rhythm. If you are planning longer walks, you can take the Westhoektrail's route length of 12 to 17.5 km and its different path surfaces into account. For a culture-focused stay, on the other hand, the St Martinus Church Roesbrugge, Haringe's protected village centre, the Military Cemetery and the two references to Karel de Blauwer take centre stage.

For further destinations to help with orientation, see Proven, Watou and Reningelst. This allows you to first assess Roesbrugge-Haringe according to the desired balance of landscape, history and crafts, and then look for suitable accommodation for planning your trip.

For the overarching travel overview: Poperinge.