The best walks and hikes around Terneuzen

Contrary to the original name of this highlight, this beautiful path does not lead along the Durme, but along the western bank of the Grote Kreek, once an offshoot of the Axelse Kreek. So no river (like the Durme), but a remnant of a diked tidal channel. But whatever the case: this path is highly recommended!

The Zuidelijke Watergang of the Moerbekepolder connects to the southeastern point of the Grote Kreek. At that point, you can cross the Watergang via a wooden bridge, which also provides access to the walking path around the Grote Kreek.

The Perenboomsgat is one of the creeks that is silting up to some extent, creating striking reed lands. The entire southern part of the horseshoe-shaped creek has silted up. In the northern part, there is still an open water section in the west, although strong silting is already occurring here too. Part of this creek remnant lies on Dutch territory, where the banks are managed naturally. The Grote Kreek and Pereboomsgat creeks contain little brackish water and therefore have a lower salt content than, for example, the Sint-Elooiskreek located slightly further west. Source: Inventory of Immovable Heritage

This is the 292nd of 369 (or 388 if you count the double posts on the Grensmaas as two each time ;-)) border posts. The 291st is slightly to the east on the Beukendreef/Oude Karnemelksstraat, and no. 293 is to the west, near the Kruisstraat & Provinciale Weg. Between posts 292 and 293 there are no fewer than 5 auxiliary border stones (292a to f). Furthermore, in the middle of the Perenboomskreek, below the waterline, there are wooden posts marking the border. Apparently, it has to be quite precise to the (centi)meter here. Discussion about where the border lies is clearly excluded here. A striking detail on post 292 is the somewhat strange design of the two 2's, as if they are reversed S's (see photos). source: grenspalen.one

The Maraîchine is a French beef cattle breed. The breed originates from – and is named after – the Marais Poitevin, the marshland on the Atlantic coast of the Vendée department in western France. The Maraîchine is known for its milk production and its adaptability to marshy areas. After the Second World War, the breed was threatened with extinction due to specialization in livestock farming. However, in the 1980s, the breed was saved by a group of friends and L'Institut de l'élevage; they rebuilt the population with the help of scattered animals. Thanks to the conservation program, the number of animals is now increasing again. source: Wikipedia

Élevage de Maraîchines (= breeding of Maraîchine cattle) "Association pour la valorisation de la Race Bovine Maraîchine et des Prairies Humides" (= association for the appreciation of the Maraîchine cattle breed and the wet meadows) - www.vachemaraichine.org - www.duinboer.nl

This creek is an offshoot of the Moerspeye (the remainder of which is now called the Moerspuische Watergang) which was connected to the Honte (the part of the Scheldt estuary that later developed into the Western Scheldt) via the Braakman, a sea arm in the Netherlands. In 1767, the Moerspuipolder was diked, but the Pereboomsgat, which was not entirely on 'Staten Bodem', remained untouched. That is why the dike had to be built right through the creek.

The border posts date from 1843 and were placed after the official border had been delayed for several years when Belgium became independent. There are 388 posts in total and each post features the Belgian lion on the Belgian side and the Dutch lion with sword and arrows on the other side. The cast iron posts each weigh 372 kg and are numbered. On Moerbeek territory they bear the numbers 290 to 296. The border runs through the middle of the Pereboomsgatkreek and is demarcated with wooden posts that are located below the waterline.