Discover Merkenveld

Activities on site / at walk distance

Adventure

  • 30 hectares of own play forest and grasslands
  • Playing field with soccer goals
  • Campfire area for 250 persons
  • Adventure pond with float and island
  • Pedestrian path, bicycle route and mountain bike track

Nature exploration
The woodland of almost 100 hectares includes:

  • 20 hectares play forest, 10 hectare own camping areas, genealogical orchard with 20 different fruit trees, frog pool
  • 20 hectares municipal nature domain Merkenveld
  • 44 hectares nature reserve of the Association Nature Point (Natuurpunt)

Exploration and discovering:

  • The 5,7 kilometre long Doeveren pedestrian path leads you through the splendid domain
  • Professional nature guides
  • The Brownie path: young children discover, experience en examine the nature with all their senses. You have a work book, a Brownie box with fieldwork equipment at your disposal.
  • Going out with the forest box: the box includes different peaces of fieldwork equipment such as pocket loupes, tree altimeters, search maps, binoculars and so on. Children examine, experiment, discover and experience the wood. Work book and work sheets at your disposal.
  • Witch walk: gentle witches tell about medicinal plants and the relationship between the magic of the nature and sorcery.
  • Walks on measure: guided nature walks approaching topics such as trees, fungus, bats, butterflies, amphibians, landscapes ”¦


On the farm of Marcel and Lisette
Marcel and Lisette De Graeve, a married farmer couple, welcome you with pleasure on their farm.
You will admire different animals such as the little horse Betty, the pride of Marcel. He takes you on his tractor and car and leads you round his farm. His wife Lissette takes care of the waiting children.

Activities at short bike distance

Labyrinth and park of Loppem
The Labyrinth, unique in Belgium, has been designed and planted in 1873 by two brothers of 17 and 14 years old. The labyrinth is 65 metres long, 25 metres broad and the hedge with different plants reach a total length of almost two kilometres.
The romantic park of Loppem with an area of 20 hectare was designed just before the building of the castle. A lot of trees are older than the castle; some are at least five hundred years old. The entry of the castle park is free. For more information: www.zedelgem.be.

Castle of Loppem
In this neo-gothic castle, where Belgian King Albert I lived with his family, you can ask for a guided visit: www.kasteelvanloppem.be.
 
The Pierlapont Court
This active farm designed the Pierla Path, a rural issue park with an interactive track including feel and look boxes, a corn maze, a discovery rucksack, a play garden, a picnic field, an adventure forest, a story path with farm secrets and so on ”¦ All those attractions will abduct you from the inhabitant world and betray all the secrets of the country life. Get more information: www.pierlapont.be.

The Abbey of Zevenkerken
This Abbey, situated in the forest zone of Bruges, is based on the Saint-Stephanus Church in Bologna and visualises the seven big basilicas of Rome. The complex includes a religious book shop, a farmhouse and an abbey school. Relax after your visit on the sunbathing area of the cafeteria with a delicious best beer. www.sint-andriesabdij.org.

Bruges
This marvellous city with its rich culture-historical past is really worth a visit. Special youth projects organise visits to museums especially for youth organisations. Bruges also offers different activities adjusted to youngsters: www.brugge.be. 

Popular observatory Beisbroek
During a visit of the observatory you can study the sun, the moon, and the planets in details and take a look at the galactic nebulae and star systems with telescopes. There you will find a multimedia and interactive exhibition of the universe.
By day or by bad weather you can admire 7000 stars projected on the inside of the dome of the planetarium.
For more information visit the website: www.beisbroek.be. 

Sport Centre Groene Meersen – with swimming pool
Inside: 2 sports halls (44 x 24 x 8 metres), sport hall with mats, cultural hall, 2 meeting rooms, covered swimming pool with a mobile bottom of 16.33 x 8 x 1.8 metres.
Outside: 2 football fields, 6 tennis courts, and 1 petanque court
Website: www.groenemeersen.be

Horse riding
Riding school De Lac in Zedelgem

Bowling and Snooker
In The Legends, Torhoutsesteenweg Zedelgem, www.the-legends.be

Attraction Park
Boudewijnpark and Dolphinarium: www.boudewijnseapark.be

Activities at bicycle distance

Outdoor Sport Centre 'De Kijkuit' in Beernem
Sportive possibilities: kayak, canoe, mountain bike, wall climbing, rafting, archery, death ride, obstacle track, adventure forest ”¦
Website: www.dekijkuit.be

Brugse Ommeland
The Brugse Ommeland is a tourist district that surrounds the city of Bruges. You can find all the information about the places worth seeing, pedestrian paths and bicycle routes through the picturesque cities on their website: www.brugseommeland.be.

The Belgian coast
The ”˜Duinpieper’ rucksack is elaborated especially for kids. It consists in an experience package for beach and dunes discovery in a rucksack. This rucksack contains simple equipment and orders for exploring the nature on the beach and in the dunes. It is lend out free during the whole year on different loaning points along the Belgian coast. The West-Flanders province also has a sea box Falaido with work book at disposal.
More information on the website: www.dekust.org.
 
The Zwin and the Butterfly Garden
The Zwin is one of the last complete unspoilt nature domains in Belgium. This unique nature reserve with its exceptional vegetation is a visit more than worthy. Also have a visit to the park with birdcages that houses about 110 indigenous kinds of birds.
More information on the website: www.west-vlaanderen.be/zwin
In the Butterfly Garden you can admire 350 specimens of 35 different kinds of tropical butterflies.
More information on the website: www.vlindertuin-knokke.be