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riding in Belgium

The maps I had for Belgium were 1 : 100 000 with one centimetre for one kilometre [geocart World Travel Maps]. I thought that was a bit overkill when I bought them, however I needed all details and more. The problem in Belgium is in my opinion roadsigns or rather lack of roadsigns. Things are easy enough on the main roads, to bicycle on the N50 south from Brugge is easy enough if you can stand the noise from the cars passing by in anything from 100 km/h and upwards. In order to find a more quiet alternative, local roads are needed, they are often not marked, and in many cases also do not have roadnumbers. In practice it is usually required to stop at every crossing or junction and consult the map. When that is done properly, bicycling on the quiet countryside roads of Belgium is very enjoyable, and the local bakeries are certainly something to enjoy also when passing through villages.

Also when I located some long distance bike paths in Belgium they were very good and a pleasure to be riding on. Some of the best I have bicycled on during this trip. The bikepath from the border down to Brugge could not have been a nicer place to be on a bike, and also the relatively long leg from Kortrijk down to Tournai along the canal and the Escaut river was most enjoyable. See photograph at start of 9th June; N50°11 E3°14; Cambrai, no pictures at the border for an example of that.