Oostkamp: Heritage, Nature and Events

If you are looking for a hotel in Oostkamp, you can plan your trip around a range of interests: protected church architecture and historic railway buildings, parks and landscapes, or an event taking place during the year. The town’s features give you specific points of interest to help you choose your travel dates and the focus of your stay.

Churches and the railway station: Oostkamp’s architectural history

Sint-Pieterskerk brings together several periods. Its protected Romanesque crossing tower is octagonal and dates from the late 12th century. Around 1900, the church was restored and extended in the Neo-Gothic style. The Van Eynde organ, dating from 1717, is also protected heritage. The tower, later construction work and organ reveal different historical layers in a single church building.

Oostkamp railway station can also be viewed from an architectural perspective. The current station building was constructed in 1889 to plans by architect Henri Joseph Fouquet. Fouquet designed the Neoclassical station on behalf of the State Railways. The station building, with its distinctive canopy, and the waiting shelter were protected as monuments in 1997. Both the original design and the preservation of its architectural features are central here.

Castles, parks and places of remembrance

Domaine Schoonhove comprises a Neoclassical castle dating from 1754, set in an English-style landscape park. Kasteel Les Aubépines dates from the early 19th century and is now part of Beukenpark. De Wieke is the last remaining mill ruin in Oostkamp. In early 2022, the municipal administration transferred its use and management to the Heritage Council; the site is intended to be developed into a heritage mill for local cultural heritage activities. This is a planned project, not a renovation that has already been completed.

Access rules are important at Kasteeldomein Gruuthuyse: the approximately 30-hectare site is private and may not be entered without the owner’s permission. The park contains what is probably a pillory dating from the late 18th century. In Moerbrugge, the Vredesmonument commemorates the Battle of Moerbrugge; it was officially inaugurated on 10 September 1994, marking the 50th anniversary of the battle.

The Gemeenteplein has long been considered the heart of Oostkamp. It features trees, a Sacred Heart monument and bicycle parking. Another landmark is ’t Valkennest, located in the public walking park at Stationsstraat 99 in Oostkamp.

Landscape and outdoor activities

Warandeputten includes flower-rich meadows, marshes, ponds and pools. Oostkamp’s parks are also connected by the Hogedreef.

Kampveld has a challenging 4-kilometre mountain biking route. This is distinct from the Bulskampveld walking trail network, which offers 225 kilometres of walking routes in Bulskampveld Landscape Park, spanning Oostkamp, Beernem, Wingene, Ruiselede and Aalter. These distances therefore refer to different activities and areas. If you plan to use the regional walking trail network, check the current route conditions.

Events and local produce

ParkPop brings thousands of visitors together in Beukenpark every year and has become a regular part of the summer calendar. The first edition took place on 25 August 2002 in Beukenpark, Oostkamp. Another recurring event is the Moerbrugge Liberation commemoration, traditionally held every year in early September at the Peace Monument. If you would like to plan your stay around either event, check the dates for your specific travel period.

Oostkamp’s short food supply chain includes farm shops, farmers’ markets, vending machines, pick-your-own gardens and vegetable subscriptions. These formats offer different ways to buy food directly; individual outlets may change.

This way, you can plan your travel dates and preferred activities together as part of your stay.

Discover more destinations: Ruddervoorde, Hertsberge, Waardamme, Oostrozebeke, Lendelede, Wielsbeke, Alveringem, Torhout.

For the broader travel overview: West Flanders.