Route: Bruges (Brugge)
Area: Belgium
Date of walk: 4th March 2020
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 11.0 miles
Ascent: 200 feet
Weather: Sunny intervals
We’ve visited Bruges before, but were tempted to pay another visit not only by our memory of its beauty, but also by a remarkable deal offered by P&O Ferries – overnight travel from Hull to Zeebrugge, bus transfer next morning into Bruges, allowing for a full day to explore the city, bus back to Zeebrugge, and overnight travel back to Hull – all for £40 per person (until the end of March)
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders and has a long and fascinating history. Its centre is a well preserved maze of cobbled streets and canals lined by many ancient buildings, and has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1998. We decided to follow a suggested walking route as it’s all too easy to be tempted by numerous paths and passageways and end up walking round in circles. This route took in most of the main sights and important buildings
The bus stop is on the edge of the city near the railway station, and we arrived there at 9.45am. We crossed over a bridge to walk through Koning Albertpark. This brought us to the ancient part of the city. We ignored opportunities to take a horse drawn carriage or a boat ride along the canals, and continued to follow our walking route. Along the way we visited the Groeninge Museum, where paintings by Van Eyck and Memling may be seen, and also the Gruuthuse Museum, a 15th Century palace which describes the history of Bruges. Both were well worth visiting
Although the route described on the Maps Page is only about 3.5 miles, and can be walked in under 2 hours, we ended up walking a much greater distance thanks to numerous minor detours, and retracing our steps to walk around the canal area again, seeking out areas we’d missed the first time around. Eventually we had to make our way back to the start, as the return bus to Zeebrugge was due to leave at 5.30pm. The travel arrangements all went to plan, and it had been a superb short trip
Click on the icon below for the route map
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Hull Docks at sunset the day before on board the Pride of Bruges, operated by P&O Ferries
The start of the walk as we pass through Koning Albertpark on the edge of the old part of Bruges
Stepped gables, which are typical of the architecture here...
The Markt, or Market Square
The Markt is the regular standing place for the city's horse drawn carriages
Just after crossing Jan van Eyckplein, we reach the first of the canals, and follow it along Spinolarei
Looking back to the plaza of Jan van Eyckplein
St Giles' Church
Bicycles are a popular way of getting around, as driving within the 'egg', the historical centre, is discouraged by traffic management schemes, including a network of one-way streets
The Belfry, a medieval bell tower built in the 13th and 15th century, which tilts to the east by 1 metre
The Groenerei Canal
More views of The Belfry, from the Quay of the Rosary (Rozenhoedkaai) ...
Looking back to the Quay of the Rosary from one of the bridges across the canal
Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk or Museum of the Church of Our Lady - the brick tower is 115.5 metres high and the second tallest in the world
Further along the canal we detour to visit the Groeninge Museum, home to many masterpieces - this is a section of 'The Virgin and Child with Canon van der Paele' 1436 by Jan van Eyck
A section of the portraits of Arch Dukes Albert and Isabella by Frans Pourbus the Younger, early 17th century
We cross the courtyard of the Gruuthusemuseum, which we will visit later
The spire of the Museum of the Church of Our Lady towers above us
Lovely light on the buildings seen from Mariastraat...
We wander along Katelijnestaat, a paradise for chocoholics
Street scene near Ankerplein
St. Salvator's Cathedral in the background
We walk through the tranquil grounds of the Begijnhof or Beguinage, inhabited by nuns of the Order of St. Benedict
Near Begijnhof
Begijnhofkerk Sint Elisabeth (St. Elisabeth Church), part of the Beguinage, and the Museum of the Church of Our Lady in the background
The entrance to Begijnhof from Wijngaardplein
We have almost completed our circuit here, but we have plenty of time left, so decide to head back north to see some of the sights which we'd missed
We visit the Gruuthusemuseum, which was once a palace and home to Louis de Gruuthuse, a wealthy nobleman
There is a wonderful view over Bruges from the loggia...
After an enjoyable visit, we walk beside the Groenerei canal...
Stone Bridge at the Hoogstraat from the Groenerei and Coupure canals, with the St. Anna Church tower in the background
We walk beside the Sint Annarei canal
St Anna Church again
Looking across the Sint Annarei canal
We reach the far point of the walk, and from here head back to the start
We pass through the Markt again...
The circuit is complete, and from here it's a short stroll back to the bus stop and the end of a wonderful day
Dawn the next day, as the Pride of Bruges sails along the Humber back to Hull
