Far From the Madding Crowd

Netherlands & Belgium: Rest day in Brugge (Wed 13 July 2022)

Weather: 16⁰C min – 24⁰C max, fine but overcast

Town PhotosDammeTrip MapsInteractive

“Wheel, kindly light, along life’s cycle path, wheel thou me on! The road is round, I have discerned thy wrath, But wheel me on!” ~ Christian hymn

Brugge is undeniably a very pretty town, but it is Belgium’s worst kept secret. Yesterday it was just too crowded with tourists for my liking, so much so it was difficult to take good photographs because people keep moving in front of my camera.

Another thing I didn’t like is that all the streets are paved with cobblestones. Pedestrians might like them but they are the bane of a cyclists life. I hope my bicycle will forgive me!

Seeking to get some peace and quiet and enjoy smooth riding on properly sealed paths, I decided to spend my rest day by going for a ride to Damme. Good decision! It turned out to be a fantastic day of riding far away from the madding crowds. The cycle path followed the canal most of the way and took me through lovely countryside and farmlands, with horses, sheep, cattle, and even donkeys, everywhere you look.

Damme itself is just a small village, but an absolute delight. Even the cobblestones didn’t bother me too much because the village is small enough to walk your bike through. At least there weren’t too many tourists so I was able to enjoy a coffee in peace.

After returning from Damme I decided to give Brugge another chance to show it’s best side. Now I understand why everyone raves about it … Brugge is simply an amazingly beautiful town. The trick is to avoid the touristy areas where the many walking groups clog up the streets and laneways listening to the endless spiel from their guides.

And my final meal last night will always be remembered … a huge bowl of the best mussels I have ever eaten, even better than the moules et huîtres I enjoyed in Normandy and Brittany a few years ago.