Eeklo is the capital of the Meetjesland, the flat, green region of East Flanders between Ghent and Bruges, close to the Dutch border, and its town hall with a belfry, the Stadhuis met Belfort, stands on the market square as the symbol of the town. It is one of the belfries of Belgium and France listed by UNESCO, a group of civic towers that embodied the freedom and power of the medieval towns of Flanders. Eeklo's belfry is modest compared with those of Bruges and Ghent, but it has its own charm, rising above a town that most visitors pass through without stopping.
The Meetjesland takes its name, according to one explanation, from the measured plots of land, meetjes, created when the region's marshes and forests were reclaimed in the Middle Ages, and the landscape is still a patchwork of fields, meadows, ditches and rows of trees. Further north, toward the Dutch border, the polders of the creek region, with their winding creeks and dikes, are a reminder of the battle against the sea.
The riding here is flat and peaceful, with quiet roads winding through fields and villages, and many cycle paths. The N9 road between Ghent and Bruges passes through Eeklo, and it is busy, but the smaller roads to the north, toward Kaprijke, Sint-Laureins and the polders, are much more pleasant, with farms, windmills and church towers on the horizon. The wind is a constant factor, and the weather changes quickly, with rain often coming in from the sea. Some village roads are cobbled, and these can be slippery when wet.
Eeklo has fuel, shops, cafés and restaurants, and the market square has terraces where you can sit with a beer and watch the town go by. Ghent and Bruges, both about twenty to thirty kilometres away, are two of the most beautiful cities in Europe, with canals, medieval buildings and lively squares. Local food includes waterzooi, a creamy stew of chicken or fish from Ghent, Flemish stew with fries, and of course the local beers, served in their own glasses. The coast, with its long beaches, is less than an hour's ride away.