Want to explore a landscape where you see something new around every bend? Then visit the Zak van Zuid-Beveland. This area is located in the southern part of the island of Zuid-Beveland, between the Westerschelde and the Oosterschelde. The name “De Zak” refers to the shape of this part of the island: it tapers toward the south, as it were, making it resemble a pouch or bag.

Just south of Goes lies this centuries-old polder region, where you can bike and hike along winding dikes, past orchards, hawthorn hedges, creeks, and small villages. The many flower-lined dikes are particularly striking. In the spring, hawthorns and fruit trees bloom; in the summer, the dikes are covered with flowers; and later in the year, fruit hangs from the trees.

From the town of Kapelle, you can reach De Zak in no time. Hop on your bike for a ride through the area, or drive to places like Nisse, Heinkenszand, or Hoedekenskerke and start your hike there.

A landscape shaped by water

Anyone cycling through De Zak will quickly notice that many of the dikes are anything but straight. This has everything to do with the area’s history. Centuries ago, Zuid-Beveland consisted of islands, salt marshes, and mudflats. Time and again, tracts of land were reclaimed and protected from the water by dikes. This created a network of old polder dikes that is still clearly visible today.

Along some dikes, you’ll see round pools of water. These are “welens”: deep holes that formed during past dike breaches. The rushing water carved such a deep hole that it was easier to build the new dike around it. So, during your walk, take a look at the bends in the dike. Sometimes the shape of the landscape tells you exactly where the water once broke through.

Take a walk or bike ride along the flower-lined dikes

The best way to explore De Zak is on foot or by bike. Natuurmonumenten manages about 80 kilometers of flower-lined dikes here. Plants such as wild marjoram, agrimony, rough carnation, and woolly thistle grow on the sunny dike slopes. Old hawthorn hedges, pollarded willows, and orchards are also part of the landscape.

Would you like to take a short walk? The Natuurmonumenten Flower Dikes Walk is about 4.5 kilometers long and starts at the information point next to the Kamerse Kooi at Nieuwkamerseweg 3 in Heinkenszand.

If you’d like to go on a longer hike, you can use “Sporen in de Zak.” This hiking network includes over 180 kilometers of trails and dikes. Using the trail junctions, you can decide for yourself where to start and how long your hike will be.

You can also go in any direction by bike. There are several routes ranging from about 35 to 55 kilometers that take you past flower-lined dikes, nature reserves, villages, and the Westerschelde.

Discover the villages along the way

Be sure to take some time along the way to explore the villages in De Zak. In Nisse, you can stroll across a picturesque village square with an old well and see much of the famous hedgerow landscape surrounding the village.

Further south lies Baarland, where old farmhouses and historic buildings serve as reminders of the past. Just outside the village, you’ll find the ruins of Hellenburg Castle. In Hoedekenskerke, you’ll reach the Westerschelde, and during the season, you can watch the historic trains of the Goes-Borsele Steam Railway pull in.

Oudelande is also nestled among orchards and flower-lined dikes. If you continue biking toward the Westerschelde, you’ll arrive at Ellewoutsdijk. Here stands Fort Ellewoutsdijk, built in the nineteenth century to defend the Westerschelde.

Each village along the way has its own story, so there are plenty of reasons to pull over and take a break from cycling every now and then.

De Zak at Its Best

De Zak looks different every season. In late April and May, the hawthorn hedges and many fruit trees are in bloom. In the summer, the herbs and flowers on the dikes take center stage. Later in the year, apples and pears are harvested, and you’ll regularly come across fruit stands along the road.

Are you planning to visit specifically to see the flower-lined dikes? If so, the period from late spring through summer is a good choice. Keep in mind that flowering times can vary from year to year and from dike to dike.

Practical information

The Zak van Zuid-Beveland is located south of Goes and is easily accessible by bike and car from the municipality of Kapelle. If you’re driving, you can use various villages as your starting point. Parking is available in Nisse, Hoedekenskerke, and Heinkenszand, among other places.

Are you going for a walk? Keep in mind that some routes run along unpaved paths, grassy embankments, and private property. Good walking shoes are therefore recommended. Before you set out, check the current route and any temporary closures.

If you bring your bike, you can easily plan your own route through De Zak using Zeeland’s bike junction network.