Just three kilometres from the village of Torhout, Wijnendale is a stereotypical fairy tale castle: Neo-Gothic, a moat and a drawbridge. Half of the building is private, as it is still occupied by the owners, but half has been made into an excellent museum about the castle’s history.
The original castle was built by Robrecht de Fries, Count of Flanders, towards the end of the 11th century. Successive rounds of nobility occupied the castle, and it saw numerous battles. It was finally mostly destroyed by Napoleon’s troops in 1811.
In 1833, the Matthieu family bought what remained and had it painstakingly reconstructed in mediaeval style. The castle has now remained in the Matthieu family for five generations.
It was at Wijnendale that King Leopold III made an infamous choice that would go down in history. In May of 1940, the king had a tense meeting at the castle with his ministers, who advised him to flee to England in order to show solidarity with the Allies and serve as a symbol of Belgian resistance. The king’s decision to defy their wishes and remain in Belgium during the German occupation was eventually seen by many Belgians as Nazi collaboration and helped lead to his fall from the throne in 1951.
The walk
The Wijnendalebos (Wijnendale forest) is an enchanting, 180-hectare forest that borders the castle grounds but is owned by the Flemish government. About half of the forest is open to the public and the rest is a nature reserve. There are many fine opportunities for both biking and walking in and around this domain.
You’ll find majestic ash, oak and beech trees as well as younger stands of conifers. These woods have seen a lot of history. From the 12th century on, the forest and area around the castle was commonly used for hunting parties.
Start your walk at the castle on the paved Fonteinpad. You’ll soon pass the Wijnendale chapel, a popular pilgrimage site and, as legend has it, the spot where Mary of Burgundy fell from her horse while hunting falcons at Wijnendale in 1482. She was only 25 and tragically died a few days later.
As you continue, you see a set of stone steps. At the top, you’ll find the castle’s old ice cellar. Look to your right across the open field as you continue onward. Soon you’ll have a distant picturesque view of the back of the castle.
Keep going straight past the carrot and grain fields until you see the signs for Wijnendalebos and Wandelpad. The route is increasingly lined with leafy trees. After a bit, you come to a gate. This is the beginning of Wijnendalebos, and you’ll find maps of the walking and biking routes right here.
The road is paved at first and then turns to dirt. You’ll pass an old bunker and then turn left. The paths are clearly designated by signs and arrows. After heavy rain, some areas on the trail can get pretty muddy, so plan accordingly with your choice of footwear.
The bosreservaat (nature reserve) shows up on your right. It’s no doubt that this protected area contributes to the rich variance of flora and fauna in the forest. There are over 500 species of mushrooms as well as elusive birds like the black woodpecker. Dotted along the route are signs that educate visitors about the environment.
Make a left to find a particularly pretty section of forest with tall, skinny pine trees growing up out of a feathery carpet of ferns. You’ll turn right and then quickly left again to stay on the walking path (there is also a bike route that runs through this area, but the walking path indicates that bike aren’t allowed). As you continue straight, there will be a boardwalk that takes you over the kasteelbeek (castle stream).
Keep following the path to find pines on your left and deciduous trees on your right. The trees thin as you continue on the route. Make a left to join up with Meerlaandreef at the forest’s edge with trees on your left and fields of potatoes on your right. Make a right as the walking and biking paths join up again and then a left on Planterijdreef to return back to the castle. The loop takes about 1.5 hours.
Quench your thirst (and hunger) after all that walking at Wijnendale Wandeling, just up Oostendestraat from the castle. This wonderful tavern offers up traditional snacks, like homemade lasagne and sandwiches, but the service and care that goes into the food’s preparation make it a standout. The chef himself came out to inquire whether we had enjoyed our meals.
Most meals include a little pot of boiled new potatoes and a trip to the well-stocked salad bar. The Wijnendale cheese is worth trying, and the ham with melon and port sauce is a refreshing choice for a warm summer’s day.
If you’re a beer geek like me, you’ll delight in their selection. But if you become overwhelmed by the 70 choices, you can’t go wrong with their house beer, the Wiendaels Wandelingske, made by Van Den Bossche Brewery in East Flanders.
Maps for both walking and biking are available at the Torhout tourist office and the castle’s visitor centre. Buy the Torhoutse Troefkaart (Torhoutse Trump Card) for €8 and get a bike rental and free pot of delicious, locally made Wostyn mustard. This incredible deal from the Torhout tourist office also includes maps and a number of coupons, including free entry to the Wijnendale castle museum, pottery museum and a bottle of the regional Thouroutenaere beer, at one of 14 participating cafes.
If you really want to make a day of it, take the train to Torhout and bike or walk to the castle and back. You can head directly there on Oostendestraat or several more circuitous and scenic routes. Rental bikes are also available at the castle visitor centre, located at the gatehouse of the Wijnendale Castle.
Wijnendale Castle
Oostendestraat 390
Wijnendale (Torhout)
www.toerismetorhout.be
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