So you’ve decided to take up the April eco-challenge and you get yourself all outfitted with a new bike, and then the Belgian sun makes a rare appearance and you’re rearing to go out for a ride… But where?
How about just about anywhere! 

Belgium has some of the best networks for cycling in the world, offering paved, accessible, well-signed and maintained routes throughout the country.

Yes, throughout the country!  Cycling is one of the few true Belgian national values, though of course, even in this regard there are some regional differences to get to know.
 
In Flanders, cycling follows the comprehensive Fietsknooppunten Netwerk, or the Cycling Interchange Network.  You’ve probably seen these signs around from time to time – the green numbers pointing every which way throughout Flanders – and the system can be a little confusing if you don’t know exactly how it works. 

The Interchange network was adapted from the old system used below ground in the Limburg mines.  Numbers refer to junctions between different pathways, and signs between junctions show the fastest way to get there.  In the cycling version, the junctions and signs have been laid out to indicate the most scenic, most bike-friendly paths between two intersections. 

To plan a perfect Flemish bike ride then, all you need to do is pick a string of junctions and then calculate the distance and follow the signs.  The network has been so successful, it even extends over the border now into the Netherlands.

To pick a route, you can either buy a map at a local Flemish tourist office (ask for the “Fietsknooppunten Netwerk” map) or you can go online (www.fietsnet.be) and click your way around the interactive map of the network.  A personal recommendation – the rides around Ypres offer a great way to see some of Flanders’ most historic sites up close and personal, the way only a bike can offer.  Biking is also a great way to explore the North Sea coast, or to visit some of Flanders’ Trappist breweries (Westvleteren for one is a rare treat).

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