With time short today – I had to be in Bruges by the evening – I utilised the fact I was on a folding bike and took a bus short cut back up the hill to Bertrix, which I cycled through yesterday.
(It’s ‘bear-tree’, not ‘bear-tricks’, by the way.)
Progress was slow today, what with hills and crosswinds, and the scenery seemed repetitive. Like a chase scene in Scooby-Doo, the backdrop seemed to be rotating rather than progressing. I really just wanted to finish.
I scooted down from Virton along some flattish cycle paths to Torgny, the southernmost village in Belgium.
It looked a reasonably pleasant little place, with a resto-bar in its tiny square and several daytrippers eating and drinking, but I had to time to join them. I pedalled up the hill out the village to the border, another barely-signed affair. The only clue I was entering France was the ‘département’ sign. Over the border, France looked to have slightly better scenery, I felt.
Still, here I was, at the bottom of Belgium, having enjoyed a largely easy, stress-free and entirely pleasant ride across the entire country. Well, two countries, if you think of them as Wallonia and Flanders. All I had to do now was cycle the five miles to Virton’s railway station, and head for Bruges.
Yes, Belgium’s towpaths, railtrails, cycleways, historic town centres, bars, hostels and supermarkets are hardly daring or adventurous; but I always enjoy trundling round the place. Here’s to next time. Triple cheers!
Miles today: 40
Miles Essen to Torgny: 209