Inspired by Matthieu, Tim and I walked the Mercator Trail or Steendorp Trail in Rupelmonde, which is part of Kruibeke in the Waasland region of the province of East Flanders.

Rupelmonde was the Heimat of cartographer Gerardus Mercator (1512 -1594). He was als imprisoned in the Graventoren (Earl’s Tower) for heresy. I didn’t take  decent photos of his statue nor of the Graventoren, but luckily Matthieu did!

When you google the trail, you’ll find two names: Steendorp wandelroute and Mercator wandelroute.

Scheldt

The trail starts near Mercatorplein (Mercator Square). Immediately you can spot some landmarks. The tower, a watermill. You’ll then follow the River Scheldt for a while, looking at some industrial heritage.

Hexagonal signposts

You can download the route of the trail here. Look for a map for guidance, but there are also hexagonal signposts marking your itinerary.

Mud

While the first part of the trail is asphalted, the second part is very, very muddy. The area around Fort Steendorp is muddy and can be very slippery. So wear good hiking shoes and not your nicest trousers. 

The fort itself can only be visited with a guide. 

13.5 km

The trail is 13.5 km long. We did over 3 hours. That’s okay. We took our time and the muddy parts slowed us down. 

The Steendorp Trail offers a nice mix of history, culture and nature and is a perfect day activity. Not too long, not too short. There is some elevation.