Discover Bavikhove

Bavikhove can be explored from different perspectives: nature watching, cycling and walking routes, and a particular connection to architecture and brewing culture all shape the possible areas of interest. When planning, it is worth keeping these themes separate. The Oude Leiearm represents a landscape with bird species that vary by season; the named routes each offer a different focus. The history of the Sint-Amandus Church also provides a distinct cultural way to discover the area.

Nature and birdwatching at the Oude Leiearm

In Bavikhove, the Oude Leiearm developed into a nature area together with the Plaatsebeek. Its open water serves as a habitat for ducks and herons throughout the year. In summer, great crested grebes, tufted ducks, coots and moorhens also appear. With a little luck, kingfishers can be spotted there too. This creates a clear seasonal distinction for nature enthusiasts: ducks and herons are part of the description throughout the year, while several other species are specifically mentioned for summer.

One important practical point concerns access: the Oude Leiearm can only be reached via the towpath along the Leie. If you include this natural area in your plans, you should take this access point into account. The Oude Leiewandelroute offers a different focus from birdwatching alone. Along the route, former bends in the Leie serve as nature areas; the Warmwaterroterij is also part of the heritage associated with the route.

Cycling and walking routes with different highlights

The Kapellekesroute Harelbeke–Bavikhove–Hulste is a recreational cycling route. Cycling is therefore clearly part of the selection of named routes in Bavikhove. The Vlasleiefietsroute has a specific connection to the church: it passes the church in Bavikhove. The Oude Leiewandelroute, in turn, links nature areas and heritage in its description. These differences help with orientation without requiring the routes to be treated as equivalent.

Church history and brewing culture

The parish church of Sint-Amandus, dedicated to Saint Amandus, dates back to a Romanesque place of worship. After several renovations, particularly in the late 19th century under the direction of architect Jules Carette, it took on its neo-Gothic, oriented hall-church form. For culturally minded travellers, its appeal lies in the sequence of periods: the Romanesque origins and neo-Gothic appearance represent different phases in the same church’s construction. In a hall church, the naves are approximately the same height.

Another point of interest is the De Brabandere brewery. A guided tour explains Bavik Super Pils and the ageing of Petrus in large oak barrels. This shifts the focus to brewery products and their ageing, rather than church architecture or the river landscape. Product details may change; if you are particularly interested in this aspect, check the latest information about the tour in advance.

For the broader travel overview: Harelbeke.