Reningelst: Discover village history and routes

Discover Reningelst through its architectural and local history, as well as its specific routes. Several routes are described with starting points and distances; the Lindegoed route also includes information on terrain, surface and landscape. This lets you weigh up local history, a viewpoint and tours with different layouts to decide which themes matter most for your stay.

Architectural history, brewery and viewpoint

East of Reningelstplein stands Sint-Vedastus Church. Around 1200, it was originally a Romanesque basilica church; it was later converted into a Gothic hall church. The change from Romanesque to Gothic architecture is a specific part of the village’s history. The church also serves as the starting point for the Lindegoed route and the signposted Heuvelland cycling route, making it a useful landmark for finding your way on both routes.

At its core, Sint-Joris Brewery dates back at least to the mid-17th century. Its buildings and malt house were restored and have been used as De Kinderbrouwerij since 2012. The Malt Tower was built in 1913 as part of a comprehensive modernization of the brewery; since 2023, it has been used as a viewing tower. From there, the view extends over the village of Reningelst, the Grote Beek valley and the West Flemish hill ridge.

Local history and places of remembrance

The centre of Reningelst is designated as a protected village scene. Its history also includes the many bombardments during the First World War, which led to the destruction of the village centre. Reninghelst New Military Cemetery opened in Reningelst in November 1915, next to the medical aid stations in the boys’ school. Grootebeek British Cemetery is the resting place of 109 people who died in the First World War and 2 who died in the Second World War.

Compare routes by distance and starting point

When comparing hiking trails, the starting point and route description are useful alongside the distance. The signposted Lindegoed route is 10 kilometres long and starts at Sint-Vedastus Church in the village centre. It passes through open countryside around Reningelst, with broad stream valleys, fertile fields, hop fields and meadows. The gradients are slight, and most of the route follows paved roads. The Zevekote route is 7 kilometres long—three kilometres shorter—starts in the village square and passes through undulating terrain. The descriptions highlight different features: the Lindegoed route has slight gradients and paved roads, while the Zevekote route has undulating terrain.

Three suggested circular routes of 5.4, 7.5 or 11 kilometres start at the play area of De Kinderbrouwerij. The three distances offer a clear choice if you’re looking for a loop rather than a direct connection between two places. Voetweg 54 is a direct, car-free walking connection between Reningelst and Westouter. For cycling, the signposted Heuvelland cycling route is described as 52.4 kilometres long; it starts at the church in Reningelst. The Kleine Flandrien in spé route starts at De Kinderbrouwerij on Reningelstplein.

Discover more destinations: Watou, Roesbrugge-Haringe, Proven.

Go to the main travel overview: Poperinge.