Belgium has many interesting biking routes. It is mostly flat, which makes biking a lot easier. In the Flemish Ardennes and Wallonia, there are more slopes, which makes it more challenging.
You can take a ‘bike highway’, follow one of the biking routes made for tourists or you can plan your own route with the ‘nodal-point’ networks.
Traveling with children? None of these options guarantees that these roads are safe for children. There can be busy crossroads or you could have to use a narrow cycling lane next to a busy road. I can’t find any website that provides this information. When traveling with children, I think it’s better to check with your hotel or tourist services about the most suitable routes.
Bike highways
Fastest routes – Rather boring – Good pavement
Bike highways are biking routes that connect two cities. The quality of the lanes is usually quite high. It is designed for individuals who commute to work by bike. During rush hour, it will be busier there. No traffic jams, but there will be many people who need to get to work fast and don’t have any patience.
You can find the bike highways in Flanders and Brussels here. The map on their website shows completed highways and those that are still under construction. You need to click on the highway to see if it’s completed or not. Or if there are any detours due to construction works.
Wallonia has a similar project: Ravel. These bike lanes are made for recreational users. They are mainly along towpaths and old railway lines.
Biking routes for tourists
Slow route – Touristy – Interesting sights
In every town, there are some beautiful biking routes. You can get free brochures for these from the tourist services.
If you want to prepare your routes in advance, you can check the town’s or your hotel’s website. They should have all the routes for that town. There are more general websites (e.g. visitflanders or visitwallonia), but they only mention the main routes.
These routes have signposts, but they are not always clear and are sometimes missing. In most brochures, you also find which nodal points correspond with the route. If you don’t find the signs of your route, you can look for the signs of the nodal points.
Nodal-point networks
Create routes yourself – Quiet – Complicated
This is a network of biking routes that are connected through ‘nodal points’. The biking routes are usually surrounded by beautiful landscapes and they pass by interesting places.
This system is used in Belgium, the Netherlands, and a part of France and Germany. There is a similar network for hiking routes.
I know the whole system may seem difficult, but once you get the logic it is an easy way to make routes yourself.
The ‘logic’ behind the nodal point system
Each nodal point has a number. You can plan your route on the nodemapp website. I would recommend that you also download the app because the signage isn’t always that good.
For example, your route is 1-2-7. Node 1 is then your starting point and Node 7 is your ending point.
When you start at Node 1, you will see a signpost with different numbers. One of these numbers will be Node 2. It is the direction you need to follow to get to Node 2.
Between Node 1 and Node 2, there will be signs at each crossroad signifying which direction to follow.
When a place to drink or eat is nearby, it is marked with a sign. These are cyclist-friendly venues.
When you are approaching Node 2, you will see a sign to let you know that you are approaching Node 2.
Afterward, you will see the signpost of Node 2. The number 7 should be on there. Then you need to follow the direction of Node 7.
Tip: I always use eyeliner to write the numbers on my hand. Then I can easily see my route while I’m biking and then I can put my phone in my backpack and only use the app when I’m lost.
5 Tips for finding the signposts
It’s sometimes difficult to find these signposts, but here are some tips on how to find them.
1. No signs at crossroads with dead-end or no-entry streets
There will not be a sign at a crossroads with a dead-end street or a no-entry street. When you pass by a crossroad and there is no sign it usually means that you missed the previous sign and then you will need to go back.
2. Search for signs in the other direction
When I’m lost, I also search for the signs that go in the other direction. They are sometimes easier to find. If you’re going from Node 1 to Node 2, and in the other direction you see signs going to Node 1, then you should still be on the right path. Even when you don’t see any signs of Node 2.
3. Drive on the correct side of the road
The signs are positioned so that you can easily see them on the side of the road where you should be biking. You normally need to be at the right side of the road, unless there is a bike lane going in both directions at the left side of the road.
4. Let your kids search for them
If you’re traveling with kids, I recommend that you make it a game to spot the signs first. Otherwise, you will miss signs and waste a lot of time getting back to the track.
5. Download the app
If you went off track, you can always use the app to get back on track.
Order of the Node Points
There is no real logic behind the order of the numbers. If you get lost and you see a sign that goes to Node 6 and you need to go to Node 7, then don’t assume that Node 6 will be closer to Node 7.
I think there was some sort of logic in the beginning, but then new routes and nodes were added, and now the logic is gone.