The best walks and hikes around Lebbeke

The Romanesque church of Mespelare dates from the 12th century and was dedicated to Saint Aldegonde upon its foundation. The church is the best-preserved and most interesting place of pilgrimage from the Romanesque period in our region. The monumental tower was decorated with statues of the four evangelists at the four corners near the bell chamber. Originally, the spire was Romanesque and made of natural stone. In 1745, after a lightning strike and fire, this spire was replaced by an apple- and pear-shaped spire. (Dendermonde Tourism)

Pillory or Lordship Pillar, located opposite the church. This lordship pillory, a tangible testament to medieval justice, was erected in the second half of the 18th century by the Antwerp Goubau family, lords of Mespelare and Gijzegem. It was restored in 1961 according to plans by architect Edmond Eggermont (Ghent) from 1958, including the replacement of the crowning stone, which had previously been kept in the Dendermonde city museum. It is situated slightly diagonally in front of the main entrance to the cemetery on a renovated round bluestone pedestal with two steps. The slender bluestone column, held together by a metal anchor, is crowned with a spherical ornament with a cartouche at the front and back, featuring a central coat of arms of the Goubau family and a knight's helmet as the centerpiece. (Inventory of Immovable Heritage)

If you cross over here you enter Bellebroek :)

It's always nice to come across something from the past

Unfortunately we didn't find this miniature village

Boardwalks are fun to walk on, but can be slippery. Be careful in rainy weather!

Low rectangular chapel under a pantile saddle roof. Brick construction, the masonry of which has been decoratively enlivened with sintered bricks. Front facade with low pointed top under a wood-finished roof overhang and crowning iron top cross. Rectangular door with wide barred door light, flanked by pilasters in a manner typical of the construction period. Plastered field of gable top with painted inscription "Anna/ bid voor ons", formerly with the date 1860 in facade brick. A framed pointed arch window in both side facades finished with profiled cornice. Interior preserves a grey and white tiled floor with star motif in a checked pattern. Simple brick altar with statue of Saint Anne-te-Drieën. (Inventory of Immovable Heritage)

This work of art by Thijs Van der Linden tells the story of the origins of the well-known “Dikke Eik” (fat oak) from the village square in Wieze, which was once planted on the corner of 4 roads to indicate the access road to the now disappeared wooden corn mill. Planting different types of wood in the immediate vicinity of a mill to incorporate them was also common at the time. This oak could therefore have been planted there to be used as the sails of the mill. On the way to this mill there is also a miller’s chapel, which was once erected to pray for a good harvest. At the bottom of this work of art there is a miller’s stone that can also be used as a bench. In this concrete form, oak branches have been worked vertically into it as filling, which will decay over time. A random summer oak has been planted in the centre of this miller’s stone, onto which branches of the “Dikke Eik” will be grafted at a later stage. The tree itself is surrounded by a steel construction in which the miller's chapel and the disappeared mill are depicted. This work is located on a walking path towards the village and therefore the Oude Eik van Wieze from where the story will hopefully be told further by the local population and passers-by. (Thijs Van der Linden)