The Makegem forests (Merelbeke-Melle) are home to a group of special residents: the Order of the Merelbekkers. These colorful animal figures form the heart of four interactive routes that you can experience via the ErfgoedApp. From March onwards, the tour closes to allow the forest to rest during the breeding season. So be quick, or put the walk in your calendar for the summer!
There are four routes: small, large, largest, and grandest, depending on how far you want to walk. In addition, there are four stories, each with its own mystery to be solved. The stories are not tied to a specific route: for example, you can follow Story 3 on the small, large, and largest routes. Upon arrival at the parking lot, you will find a box where you can pick up the correct booklet for each story.
We choose Story 4 and walk the longest route: ideal for a winter afternoon in the Merelbeek countryside. Glenda Krasch, the jay and loud gossip of the Order of the Merelbekkers, received a visit from a secret admirer during the night. When we meet her at the start of the route, her heart is still racing. Now it's up to us to unmask this nocturnal visitor.
A little later, we meet Bart, Bert, and Britt, triplet owlets (young tawny owls). Last night, they saw a mysterious creature. Could it be Glenda's admirer? The three squabblers are sitting on a branch next to a family of gnomes, who invite us to play a game of 'nut throwing'. In a tree stump, there are nuts that you can use to aim at hanging wooden plates. It's a fun activity to warm up in the cold winter weather. After that, we continue to follow the trail of the possible worshipper.
During the walk, you pass many different views and scenes. We notice the many bunkers in the area. After passing an active military zone, we check the map in the ErfgoedApp see if there are any heritage points with additional information. These are indeed marked. Via a link to the Inventory of Immovable Heritage, we discover that these bunkers are part of the Ghent Bridgehead: a project from the interwar period in which some 228 bunkers were built in the region south of Ghent. This way, we learn something new along the way and while following the tour with the app.
By the end of the route, we have already met quite a few Merelbekkers and heard their stories. Thanks to their tips, we are getting a clearer picture of who Glenda's mysterious admirer could be. Eventually, we come across a strange statue: the Oracle. It clucks us the final hint towards the finish line... but you'll have to discover the rest for yourself.
Another little tip: only in the fourth story can you win a prize from three local chocolatiers when you solve the riddle.
Together with the three other stories, the Merelbekkersroutes offer an imaginative and interactive walk for young and old in the beautiful Makegemse Bossen woods and surrounding fields. So hurry, otherwise you'll have to wait six months until the Order of the Merelbekkers welcomes you back to their forest!
Curious? Visit the Merelbeke-Melle website for more information. You can also find the tour on the ErfgoedApp website.