Intro
This is a copy of an older hiking report on the GR 5A trail. Between Dendermonde and Herdersem the GR 5A and GR 128 trails coincide. So, we skipped this part later on when we decided to hike the GR 128 trail.
Just keep in mind that this article describes the trail in the opposite direction and only applies to the GR 128 for the part between Herdersem and Dendermonde.
The weather forecast didn't announce anything good from Sunday on. Reason enough to quickly decide for a hike on Saturday. The topoguide GR 5A South was still on the table since last week's hike. We added up some reference point data and choose to go for Herdersem. The distance up to Baasrode is about 21 kilometers, that should be doable, at least if we can manage to get there around noon.
From Herdersem to Dendermonde this part of the GR 5A trail coincides with the GR 128 Flanders Route.
Back and forth
Herdersem is part of the town of Aalst. According to the route planner on the railroad website we first have to travel from Antwerpen to Gent St-Pieters, and there change for a local train heading for Brussels-Midi, passing through Aalst. From Aalst bus 2 dropped us off at Herdersem. The trip took us over two hours, we arrived around noon.
From Baasrode hourly busses can take you to Dendermonde. From Dendermonde trains go to Mechelen and from there it was easy to reach Antwerpen.
The hike
From the church in Herdersem it's only a few hundred meters walk to the place where our GR 5A trail passes through the village. We easily find the red/white signs and then head for the river Dender which is followed up to the Wieze bridge. The trail continues towards Gijzegem. We don't enter the village but make a wide curb around it, which brings us back in a flat landscape of green meadows. The next village is Mespelare, situated on the territory of the town of Dendermonde.
The center of Mespelare is nice and cozy, featuring a pillory and a graveyard around the church. We're lucky to find the church open, so we can catch a glimpse of the interior. There's some remarkable paintings showing the life and the good deeds of the patron saint Sint-Aldegondis. They depict several events in one painting. You have to 'read' this kind of painting as a strip moving from the left to the right.
Upon leaving the village we're now heading for the river Dender. On the embankment there's a strong wind blowing, but as long as we keep it dry, that can't harm us. The nice view on the church tower of Mespelare - now behind us - is enough to forget all the rest.
500 m further we're at the lock chamber of Denderbelle. Here it's time to cross the river. We continue by following it on the other embankment, and then enter the area of the Belse Beemden (lowlands). A quiet asphalted road winds through this moist area for a few kilometers. Having crossed the Steenbeek (a brook) we arrive at the hiking pole marking the place where the GR 128 trail (Route of Flanders) leaves the GR 5A path.
We cross the hamlet Boonwijk which is already part of the town of Dendermonde and cross the railway. Passing before a home for the elderly we're heading back into the fields.
It's obvious something is going on here. Protest signs point out that the local residents don't agree with the plans to build a new detention center in this green area ('no prison in our green lung'). A typical problem of our society? Everyone seems to cry out for more prison cells, but nobody wants them in their own backyard.
We're arriving at a nice fish pond that is part of the old ramparts of Dendermonde. Following the shores we end up at the old Dender river which will lead us to the center of the town.
This quiet part of the river is now completely separated from the main stream. The New Dender was extended towards the north, flowing into the Schelde river near Grembergen. The original arm we're following into town now simply ends dead a few hundred meters before the Schelde. Dendermonde literally means 'where Dender flows into Schelde'. Shouldn't Dendermonde change it's beautiful name?
Anyway, in the old days Dendermonde used to be an important center of trade, which is still witnessed by the beautiful big market square. An ideal place for a break.
We continue the hike walking towards the Schelde river where the Dender used to end its journey. During almost 4 km. we're hiking on the now asphalted towing path, bringing us to Vlassenbroek. The place is only a small hamlet, nicely hidden behind the river's embankment. Judging by the number of pubs and restaurants, this must be a popular destination for daytrips. However, todays there's hardly anything moving here.
The last 4 km. of this hike take us back into the fields. The trail leads through the diked marshes of Vlassenbroek, shortcutting a wide curb of the river. Merely 2 km. further we're back on the river embankment. In the distance appears the church tower of Baasrode, today's hiking destination.
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