Suggestion for a scenic route to Bruges?

Martyn B

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I have a friend who wants to plan a trip to Bruges.

It's not an area I'm familiar with at all apart from a day trip forty years ago!

As the mountains of Belgium and northern France seem to not be on my maps :D I wonder if anyone has a suggestion for a scenic route from Calais to get them there?

Cheers,

Martyn
 
Its only 70 miles from Calais innit. I spent an overnighter around Parc Naturel Régional des Caps et Marais d'Opale basically inland from Boulogne at the weekend. Very scenic with big landscapes, very little traffic. I had no idea that France could be as nice that close to Calais. Maybe devise a big loop to finish at Bruges?
 
You could try a back roads run to Ypres & some of the WW1 sites, then on to Bruges?

Once in the Old City, you will remember it's a maze of one-way streets, so best to have the Nav ready/UTD when looking for Hotels in there. BTW, either the Novotel or IBIS are fine if you are OK with the Accor chain, with public underground parking adjacent.
 
Go to Kurvigger (see multiple posts) as it’s as good as anything when answering questions like this, when the person seeking help has decided not to tell anyone:

1. When the jaunt is

2. How long the fellow has set aside to make the journey. A morning, an hour, all day (providing the day starts at 11, finishes by 14:30, has 12 stops and must take in Rotterdam as his mate wants to see him), a week, longer?

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I have gone to Bruges about 3 or 4 times now. Some on the bike some in the car.

I took a coastal route up from Calais heading towards Dunkirk then Nieuwpoort. If I’m honest the roads that I found were only slightly more interesting than the motorway. I will see if I have my old GPS trail for it.

If your friend is going in summer or in fact any time soon expect it to be very busy. And expensive near the main square etc. It is very very pretty though.
 
Ta!

Thanks everyone - even Wapping! :D Some things don't change do they?

If I knew the answer to the questions I'd have posted it mate but I appreciate your input. :thumb
 
The reality is that there isn't really a scenic route to Bruges - unless you're going via somewhere not-very-near Bruges. Into the Somme, round through Ypres, dipping further south into the Ardennes… progressively more scenic but obviously getting further and further from your target. There are some pleasant country lanes and quiet villages along the coast, no doubt, but the reality is that it's all pretty flat, very well settled and very close to Calais... and I don't think any of it particularly repays the effort of getting of the motorway.

If you're going to Bruges for a reason, probably better just to get there, park up, spend more time at the bar of your choice. If Bruges was picked because it's a destination not too far from the tunnel, maybe look at alternatives that involve a more interesting ride – maybe Amiens, or Charleville-Meziers. A bit further, but still an easy ride from the Channel and on more interesting territory...
 
We went to Ieper / Ypres by criss-crossing the very small roads that cross the very flat canalised area of reclaimed land. Take care as some of the ‘roads’ are not much wider than a bike, one slip and you are in.

You’ll find little swing bridges, narrow gauge railway tracks, raised canal crossings; the lot.

I got the route from a Belgian map, recreating it for GPS. Without the help of satellites, we’d have got hopelessly lost.

PS I’m never quite sure why bods assume that there is always a scenic route between two places on a map. They build main roads (at great expense) for a purpose, sometimes.
 
I'm in Bruges next month, after an afternoon tunnel crossing. I'll be zipping along the motorway to get to Bruges for my tea with friends.

We are staying in your near namesake's hotel, Martin's Bruges. It's a very nice hotel right in the centre with underground parking. Very pretty police station facade by the car park entrance.
 
I always try to visit Diksmude: a nice town, with a nice market place and river/canal frontage, plus a good bit of WW1 history
 
I have done Bruges untold times.
We tend to get off the train in Calais then avoid motorways, follow the coast road to Dunkirk - De Panne - Ostend then either De Haan - Blankenburg - Zeebrugge and drop south to Brugge or Ostend to Bruges via N9,
Takes about 2 1/2 hours riding steady....
 
Thanks again for all your input. I think we've explored this one nicely now but I'll leave it open in case someone wants to add to in the future.

:clap:thumb2
 


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