All connected by one word – Leireken.
One of our favourite cycling routes is the Ros Beiaard, a 50km circuit through the region to the North-West of Brussels that takes in the attractive town of Dendermonde, t
he woods at Buggenhout, a section of the path along the Schelde and large swathes of Flemish farmland. We take as our starting point the disused station at Bardegem – now a pleasant pub – and the first 10km or so follow the track of an old railway, converted to foot- and cycle-path. Straight and flat.
This section forms part of another circuit – the ‘Leireken route’. If you don’t turn off it towards Buggenhout, but continue a bit further, you will come to another disused station at Steenhuffel, just behind the Palm brewery, which has been transformed into the Leireken tavern, complete with restored 1st class passenger coach.
Fast-forward to a trip to the Moeder Lambic speciality beer bar in St Gilles. There, chalked on the blackboard of today’s specials is that word again – Leireken. A penny drop
s; I’ve seen that beer for sale in my local health-food shop. For some reason, I’ve never been inclined to buy beer in a health-food shop. But next time I visit, I have a closer look. Leireken bio buckwheat blonde – I’m still not convinced, but the label on the bottle clinches it – a heroic-looking engine-driver battling through the night.
But what does Leireken mean? It’s not in the dictionary. And how does it connect with my cycle route? Well, it seems that the line, which runs from Asse to Londerzeel via Opwijk, was past of a longer route from Douai to Antwerp. How often it was used I don’t know, but it produced a character, an engine-driver named Valeir, well-known to all the locals who used the line or lived close to it. And, in that curious Flemish way, his name was affectionately ‘shortened’ by making it longer – Leireken ! When the line closed, he was immortalised, first by the bar at Steenhuffel and subsequently by the cycle-route.
When the former head brewer of the Opwijk brewery, best-known for the Affligem abbey beers, decided to set up a new venture there was oneobvious name for his new product. His choice of buckwheat rather than barley was unusual, but he knew what he was doing. The beer is delicious.
One of our favourite cycling routes is the Ros Beiaard, a 50km circuit through the region to the North-West of Brussels that takes in the attractive town of Dendermonde, t
he woods at Buggenhout, a section of the path along the Schelde and large swathes of Flemish farmland. We take as our starting point the disused station at Bardegem – now a pleasant pub – and the first 10km or so follow the track of an old railway, converted to foot- and cycle-path. Straight and flat.This section forms part of another circuit – the ‘Leireken route’. If you don’t turn off it towards Buggenhout, but continue a bit further, you will come to another disused station at Steenhuffel, just behind the Palm brewery, which has been transformed into the Leireken tavern, complete with restored 1st class passenger coach.
Fast-forward to a trip to the Moeder Lambic speciality beer bar in St Gilles. There, chalked on the blackboard of today’s specials is that word again – Leireken. A penny drop
s; I’ve seen that beer for sale in my local health-food shop. For some reason, I’ve never been inclined to buy beer in a health-food shop. But next time I visit, I have a closer look. Leireken bio buckwheat blonde – I’m still not convinced, but the label on the bottle clinches it – a heroic-looking engine-driver battling through the night.But what does Leireken mean? It’s not in the dictionary. And how does it connect with my cycle route? Well, it seems that the line, which runs from Asse to Londerzeel via Opwijk, was past of a longer route from Douai to Antwerp. How often it was used I don’t know, but it produced a character, an engine-driver named Valeir, well-known to all the locals who used the line or lived close to it. And, in that curious Flemish way, his name was affectionately ‘shortened’ by making it longer – Leireken ! When the line closed, he was immortalised, first by the bar at Steenhuffel and subsequently by the cycle-route.
When the former head brewer of the Opwijk brewery, best-known for the Affligem abbey beers, decided to set up a new venture there was oneobvious name for his new product. His choice of buckwheat rather than barley was unusual, but he knew what he was doing. The beer is delicious.
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