Wakken: Village Centre, Goethalsmolen and Baliekouter

When looking for a hotel in Wakken, you can first decide which themes you want to shape your stay: the history and architecture of the village centre, or the landscapes and trails of Baliekouter. The protected village centre and the various routes offer different starting points for planning your trip.

Village Centre and Landscape in Wakken

The protected village centre preserves a layout whose plan dates back to the 17th-century setting. It includes a triangular market square, the Parochiekerk Sint-Petrus en Sint-Catharina with its surrounding cemetery, and a castle in a park surrounded by a moat. The green areas around the village centre include meadows along the Mandel and a wooded castle park with ponds and avenues. The architecture of the protected village centre is predominantly from the 19th century; neoclassical façades can be found on the west side of Wapenplaats.

Church and Goethalsmolen

The Parochiekerk Sint-Petrus en Sint-Catharina is a protected monument; this protection has been in effect since 14 January 1998. The church was built from 1790 to 1794 in the late neoclassical style, based on a design by the architect Colin. A cemetery surrounds it on three sides, and at the rear there are views across the Mandel valley. The village centre is also a protected townscape, likewise since 14 January 1998.

Goethalsmolen, commonly called the D’Hondt-Goethals Windmill, stands in the village centre. It is a stone tower mill with a gallery, an outbuilding and an underground passage. Around 1830, oil presser Albertus De Borchgrave had it built as a replacement for a wooden buckwheat windmill dating from 1787. The histories of the windmill and the church thus reach back to different periods in the village’s history.

The mill opens to the public on set days, for example during fairs and the Vlaamse Molendagen. Group visits are also possible by appointment. If visiting the mill is important to your plans, check the dates in advance.

Baliekouter: Walking and Paddling

Baliekouter is a wooded area with broadleaf forest, meadows and an orchard. Farm-themed play equipment includes a double swing, a toy tractor and a playhouse. A walking trail about 2.6 kilometres long starts at the car park on Ommegangstraat, passes through the play forest to water-rich meadows and the Mandelbeek, and then returns. There is also a shorter, easily accessible route for wheelchair users along the walking trail.

Another option is the 13-kilometre “Beleef de Mandelvallei” route. It starts in Baliekouter, combines walking and paddling, and passes through the green surroundings between Dentergem and Oostrozebeke. The routes therefore differ both in length and in the type of activity: the shorter walking trail leads to the Mandelbeek and back, while the longer route combines walking and paddling.

The Mandel paddling route has its own timing guidelines: if you bring your own canoe, kayak, paddleboard or packraft, you can use it daily from half an hour after sunrise until half an hour before sunset. Check the conditions before setting off.

More Routes to Help Plan Your Trip

Cycling routes also offer different focuses. The “Een rondje Dentergem” recreational cycling route starts in Wakken and runs mainly along low-traffic roads and dedicated cycle paths. As route conditions can change, check them before your ride. The Mandeldal mountain bike route starts at the Baliekouter visitor centre on Ommegangstraat in Wakken.

Another route is the Baliekouter-Kapellestraat Link Path. It opened in summer 2024 between the bridge at Baliekouter at Ommegangstraat 11 and Domein Kloosterhof towards Kapellestraat. Along with the walking and cycling routes, it offers a selection of different types of trails to help you prioritise your interests when planning your trip.

Discover more destinations: Oeselgem

Return to the main travel overview: Dentergem.