Top 18 Lakes around Torhout

Nowadays the castle is a luxury hotel/restaurant and conference centre (Restaurant realised in 1990 and hotel built in 1996 by the then organisers of the Rock Torhout festival). On the other side of the Torhout - Oostende road lies the domain of the Wijnendale castle.

The history of 'Domein d' Aertrycke' begins in 1865 when August de Maere, the spiritual father of the port of Zeebrugge, acquired 98 ha of the 'Verloren Kost' domain. In 1869 he had the now centrally located neo-Gothic castle built to a design by the Antwerp architect Joseph Schadde. In 1897 August de Maere, who had in the meantime been elevated to the nobility, was given permission to add d'Aertrycke to his name. With the exception of a short period after the First World War, the domain remained the property of the family. Xavier de Maere, the last owner of the castle, became known as second-in-command of the Belgian South Pole Expedition 1958-1959. After the death of his mother, who was the last of the family to live in the castle, he concluded an agreement with the West Flemish provincial government for the partial opening of the castle domain to the general public. In 2012, the province acquired full ownership and Domein d'Aertrycke became a fully-fledged provincial domain.

The castle De Maere d'Aertrycke is a castle in the Belgian city of Torhout. The neo-Gothic castle was built from 1868 to 1871 by order of August de Maere, the castle is still popularly called De Maeres castle. It is located between the center of Torhout, Wijnendale and Aartrijke. The castle is located in a romantic garden with a large pond, meadows and forests. The domain has a great natural value. Roe deer, Western European hedgehog and the European red squirrel are the mammals that live there. Birds are richly represented with the tufted duck, great spotted woodpecker, moorhen, coot, grebe, jackdaw, nuthatch, tree creeper, finch, blue tit and great tit. There are also amphibians: the brown frog and the common toad.

Highly recommended 🚲

Did you know that this pond was dug to provide water for steam trains from Torhout to Ostend? It is therefore no coincidence that it is located along the green axis 'Groene 62', a former steam railway route that extends from Torhout to Ostend. In the spring of 2022, the landscape park was renovated to respond even more to the silent experience of nature. Among other things, a covered rest point for cyclists and natural play elements for children ensure that the park is a perfect stopover while cycling! In addition, it is also the ideal place to rest, walk or go fishing and of course enjoy nature. Facilities on the domain: - public toilet - natural play elements - bicycle storage - picnic area (also covered)

It's worth it!

Colloquially known as the Maeres Castle, also called Kasteel Maere d'Aertrycke, it was built between 1868 and 1871 in the Neo-Renaissance (French) style. August Maere, the visionary behind the port of Zeebrugge, was later ennobled and was allowed to add the name d'Aertrycke to his surname. The domain remained in the hands of the family for a long time, but from 1960 part of it became the property of the province of West Flanders. Since 2012, the entire domain has been provincial property and the castle has been transformed into a hotel, restaurant and conference center.

Until the 1970s, the Hoge Dijken formed a sand dune protruding above the polder. However, during the construction of the Jabbeke-Veurne motorway, tons of sand were excavated there, creating a large pit (up to 15 to 20 m deep in places) which was then reclaimed by nature. It became an important wintering food and resting area for waterfowl. In 1986, the Flemish government decided to develop the nature reserve as a nature education center and a visitor center was installed 'De Grote Merganser'.