Corsendonk Duinse Polders to Ostend – 2nd July 2025
Well the high temperatures have ended – thankfully – but today is set for thunderstorms and being out on a wide beach far from other structures is not recommended. A rush inwards up the sand bank, and into some cafe is the plan for today.
The start wasn’t brilliant, cloudy and windy and overcrowded.The mermaid? at Blankenberge harbour. Ferry is not runing, so I’ve to schelp around it, adding a mile to today’s trek.The harbour from the other side. They do love their leisure boating in old Belgium.Left all that behing now heading through the dunes to the beach.This is one of the stretches I dreaded doing yesterday in the heat. Nothing to relieve things for an hour.Past that and the next section. I can just about make out Ostend in the murk. There are hundreds of these little white beach sheds around, probably treasured and bought and sold at inflated prices. The wind is strong and in my face. Wishing I’d travelled the other direction now.Left the beach huts and nearly at the firm sand at the water’s edge. Looking back at last stop at De Hann.Very wet and my expensive Fyall Raven coat is leaking at the arm pits. Not much relief in sight. This section is about 5 miles. I’d have been well cooked yesterday.A a few moments of better light. You can now see the towers of Ostend. I love walking on the ridged stuff. It is uneven enought to work and stretch the muscles in your feet but not trip you up.I need a last break before the last stretch. The wind and rain are getting to me. Supposed to be a cafe just off the beach.In the outskrits, small world isn’t it.Some of the German harbour defenses still around. I suppose they are tough to destory – that being the whole point really.The burg across the way. Just waiting on the ferry (free again).Here she is and it’s just five minutes from the other side to a hot shower.
Actually, had the rain stayed away today would have been lovely. I don’t mind a bit of a touristy bit so long as it can be left for something much more remote sooon after. Obviously, I’d have done this going in the other direction and been helped by the wind, but, c’est la vie, as our hosts might say.
