Ypres - Bruges

[Nik's Nick]

I'm joining some friends on a cycling tour Dunkirk-Ypres-Bruges-Dunkirk next week. Fairly mixed ability, so the group is keeping distances fairly low (and my suggestion of "just popping up" the Kimmelberg in Ypres was not well received).

On Day 3 (Ypres-Bruges) I'll probably get the opportunity to do something little longer, say around 100k. Any suggestions for nice roads between Ypres and Bruges, or good lunch stops? We'll have done a WW1 sites tour the day before, so will probably have seen the big cemeteries etc around Ypres, but if there's anything of historical interest between Ypres and Bruges that I could build into a route then any suggestions most welcome.

[robgul]

When in Bruges THE place to eat (if you like meat - cooked over an open fire in the restaurant) is  Restaurant De Wijngaert, Wikngaardstraat15, 8000 Brugge   - and next door try the vast range of beers (they do a board with about 15 glasses set into holes, each with a different beer)

Worth making the ride shorter to get to the beer and food 

Rob

[Nik's Nick]

Thanks - will pass that on to the person responsible for booking grub & ber!

[jiberjaber]

I'm joining some friends on a cycling tour Dunkirk-Ypres-Bruges-Dunkirk next week. Fairly mixed ability, so the group is keeping distances fairly low (and my suggestion of "just popping up" the Kimmelberg in Ypres was not well received).

On Day 3 (Ypres-Bruges) I'll probably get the opportunity to do something little longer, say around 100k. Any suggestions for nice roads between Ypres and Bruges, or good lunch stops? We'll have done a WW1 sites tour the day before, so will probably have seen the big cemeteries etc around Ypres, but if there's anything of historical interest between Ypres and Bruges that I could build into a route then any suggestions most welcome.

Kemmelberg is not as bad as it seems, unless you decide to ride up the whole of the official climb out of the village and then the cobbles - if you just do the cobbles it is easier than TMNH almost - (standing up looses rear traction so you end up balancing to keep the power down) I also did it with Panniers as well which made being out of the saddle easier

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28172690?privacy_code=kIsN2lTPx5SWjHOK
(the little loop @83km is Kemmelberg)


(other bits here might be of help unless they've already chosen their route. https://ridewithgps.com/events/58216-euro-routes#routes/28172690/preview )

[Nik's Nick]

Thanks Jibers

[Pingu]

Thanks - will pass that on to the person responsible for booking grub & ber!

Brugse Beertje for beer, Huuse de Cluuse for food and beer.

[Pingu]

When in Bruges THE place to eat (if you like meat - cooked over an open fire in the restaurant) is  Restaurant De Wijngaert, Wikngaardstraat15, 8000 Brugge

Rob

In my previous reply I mistook that for this fine establishment  Good food and a decent selection of beer on the premises.

https://www.nieuw-museum.com/

[giropaul]

Belgium has several overlaying cycle route systems. For your needs I’d get the relevant maps ( Fietskaart, Fietsnetwerk and Falk are all good) and mapout number to number. The numbers are posts, and each one directs the rider to the next adjacent choices. Typically the routes are quiet roads, cycle paths etc, although the occasional bit of rougher track isn’t unusual.
The Map Shop in Upton on Severn has good stocks of Falk etc., and often the Tourist Information offices in the towns as well.

[Nik's Nick]

Thanks both.
Pingu - the quartermaster has already (independently) booked that place for the evening in Bruges. Always good to have a recommendation!
Giropaul - I've never been too good with those various continental cycle route systems. Sometimes use them as a base for routing, but then plot routes into my Garmin and rely on that. Can sometimes mean you miss on on lovely river-side cycle paths, but also means that you avoid routes that you'd not necessarily want to take your road bike down. All depends on what bike you're on and what type of ride you're after I guess.