The best running trails around Izegem

Much quieter walking than on the other side of the water

The park of Ingelmunster Castle is not accessible, but on the other side of the Mandel, between Mandel and the Roeselare-Leie canal, there is a pleasant walking path through what can be considered as "an extension of the castle park".

Today, parts of the castle are rented out as a venue for corporate events, seminars, parties, and more. Extensive work has been carried out for this purpose over the past quarter century. Mr. Marc Van Honsebrouck, who died last year at the age of 89, had lived in the castle with his family since 1986, and had already commissioned renovations around the turn of the century. But disaster struck shortly afterward. On September 20, 2001, at 1:45 a.m., a fire broke out. Fortunately, Mr. Marc and his family managed to escape, but the entire left wing, both the ground floor and the upper floor, was completely destroyed. Although the fire department arrived very quickly, many priceless works of art were lost in the fire. The building itself suffered greatly, but the skill of the firefighters managed to stop the all-consuming flames. The grief over this terrible event was palpable far beyond the castle grounds. In 2012, Mr. Marc Van Honsebrouk decided to take over the castle's entire care and bought out his brother, who had been co-owner until then. His plan was to breathe new life into the castle, which had only been made wind- and watertight after the fire. The result of the past few years is the magnificent halls that shine again. Sources: https://kasteelvaningelmunster.be/ https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20230824_96366895

The origin of the name "Ingelmunster" most likely lies in the history of this castle. The castle was built on the ruins of a seventh-century monastery. In 740, the monastery was reportedly inhabited by English monks, who gave it their name: Anglo Monaterum, Engelmunster, or Ingelmunster, meaning "Monastery of the Angels." In 855, the monastery fell prey to the Normans, the feared rulers of the sea. They plundered and burned the monastery. Little more than a ruin remained of the "Monastery of the Angels." The first Flemish ruler to establish a political presence in West Flanders was Robert I the Frisian, the tenth Count of Flanders. His reign lasted from 1071 to 1093, and he had the fortified castle built on the site of the ruins. Ingelmunster's location, on the doorstep of West Flanders and along the waterway that crossed the military route between Kortrijk and Bruges, was of such strategic importance that it was called the "Key to Flanders." Ingelmunster Castle, which at that time was still a veritable "lock," offered the key to unlocking a tactical advantage. Source: https://kasteelvaningelmunster.be/historiek-kasteel/

The bridge's somewhat rebellious name was chosen by the people of Ingelmunster. It refers to the historical nickname "brigand" (meaning highwayman) that a group of Ingelmunster residents in the 18th century were given after they resisted the French occupiers. Source: https://www.seineschelde.be/vernieuwen-brigandsbrug-ingelmunster-wat And... no, the rapper Brihang is not from Ingelmunster, but from Knokke-Heist, where the dialect "brigand" (in West Flemish, "brihang") is, of course, also part of the local dialect.

A unique, recent bridge, inaugurated in 2020. What makes the Brigands Bridge a real eye-catcher is the opening between the two lanes that allows light to pass through. This allows the open space under the bridge—which would normally be shrouded in shadow—to be fully utilized, even allowing a green axis of flora and fauna to develop beneath the bridge. The bridge is almost 300m long. Source: https://www.infosteel.be/staal-bouw-project/6073-brigandsbrug-ingelmunster

This parsonage and garden were built in 1875 to replace a parsonage located further back on a now-defunct walled site. Source: https://inventaris.onroerenderfgoed.be/erfgoedobjecten/51793

The Roeselare-Leie Canal is a shipping canal between the city of Roeselare and the Leie River at Wielsbeke. It is 16.5 kilometers long. Via the Leie River, it connects the port of Roeselare with the ports of Dunkirk, Ghent, Antwerp, Brussels, and Liège. Dug between 1862 and 1872, it provided significant employment. Ships loaded (up to 600 tons for the port of Roeselare) with grain, sand, and other commodities sailed up the canal to supply the businesses along its banks. As of 2020, the canal transported more than 4 million tons of goods annually. Source: Wikipedia