And today was another pleasant day riding through Belgium. I left my campsite at Bastogne on the eastern part of Belgium to head over to the very west of Belgium, and in the early morning sunshine and hit the road, heading towards Brussels and Waterloo. I arrived at the Waterloo battle-site late morning and spent much of the day walking around the magnificent museum and then walking to the top of the Lions Mound, which was built by the Dutch between 1824 and 1826 to commemorate the soldiers who died on the 18th June 1815.
I was wondering where the museum was and following the signs it led me down some steps – to find the entrance to the museum which is underground over two levels. Amazing. There is also a rotunda next to the mound, which is a large round building. You stand in the middle on a platform and there is a 360 degree painting depicting the battle. It was like walking back in time.
At the top of the mound is a stone plinth which supports a cast iron Lion. The Lion weighs 28 tons, and to get to the top you have to climb 226 steps. It is a truly remarkable monument, especially when you think about the sheer hard work it took to build it. If you are ever in Belgium, you must come and visit this museum because it truly is remarkable and well worth the 14eu entrance fee.
After a quick coffee and very tasty baguette at the Waterloo Brasserie next to the museum it was back on the bike and heading west to my next destination, which is a beautiful campsite located in the Flanders countryside at a village called Moen. A few miles away are the towns of Roubaix and Lille, as we’re almost on the border to France.
The mileage today was a lowly 150 miles, but it was a pleasant ride because the temperature was 20 degrees with brilliant sunshine. This had me sweating while climbing the Lions Mound because I had my riding gear on, but that’s life…!
I’m at my campsite now and it’s a warm sunny evening and the air is very mild and soft. The campsite is great. It’s only 14eu a night with electricity and for once I don’t have to pay to have a shower. My last three campsites you had to pay for the shower, which was disappointing. For the next few days it’s lots more museums, and where I was interested in WW2 at Bastogne, the museums I want to visit in this part of Belgium are all about WW1. And hopefully the sunny weather will continue.
