Several years ago, I came across a guidebook for the Flanders cycle route ("Topogids Vlaanderen Fietsroute"), an 830 km loop through the five Flemish provinces, and finally I have been able to undertake the journey. It did not disappoint: Flanders has been ranked as the top region in Europe for cycling infrastructure investment (European Cyclists Federation, The State of National Cycling Strategies in Europe, 2022), and the evidence was everywhere.

Using the guidebook and information from www.fietsroute.org I used cycle.travel to split this into GPX segments for my cycling computer. And so, starting by following the red line into Dover Eastern Docks before sunrise, ready to catch the early ferry for Dunkerque, I had a smooth two-hour crossing then picked up Eurovelo route 12 along the coast before latching on to the Fietsroute at Koksijde. The route followed well-signposted cycle paths or quiet roads, often in agricultural areas (this is potato country: the frites of tomorrow) but alas there was no hiding place from the unusual strong north-east headwind - welkom in West Vlaanderen.

From Blankenberge the route turned south through Brugge to Beernem. Alas, mobile phone roaming problems and finding no-one at the accommodation I had booked, I continued on the next day's planned route into the centre of Gent and was relieved to find the excellent Gent Centrum, an outpost of the French B&B Hotels chain. Total on day one: 178 km or 110 miles, very weary!