Environment

The direct Dutch environment is the typical flat polder area: a fruitful rural area (by clay deposit) with dikes, trees and water elements such as creeks and kolks.  As there are a lot of lanes in the area it is a very nice environment for walking and cycling. At the Belgian side of the border you will find forrests and a lot of unpaved roads which are ideal to be explored by (mountain) bikes.

Beside the presence of the border the village of Heikant and its environment is also known for the culture ot the flax plant which was intensively cultivated and processed here. Even today you can still admire here the blue flowering flax fields during summer. The flax plant produces the strong and long fibres which finally will result into linen, used for luxury clothes and table ware. (It also was used for making the famous lace of Bruges.)  Today in Heikant a small statue of a worker in the flax fields remembers the people who had to work so hard for a poor living.

At 7 km distance the small city of Hulst is situated. It is one of the best preserved fortified towns in the Netherlands. Hulst also claims to be “the most Flemish town in the Netherlands”. The Willibrordus Basilica and the town hall are two precious monumental buildings.
Finally, the land of Hulst is also the “land of Reynaert”, as in this medieval animal epic about the cunning fox Reynaert several locations in this area were mentioned.
In the eastern part of the council the unique “Drowned Land of Saeftinge” is situated. It measures 3.500 hectares, consists of silts and salt marshes and boasts a very rich flora and fauna.