Exiting KGWV, one heads straight across the Ring Route Canal and immediately enters a very different Leie to that found leading from Deinze to Kortrijk. This is a meandering river that wends its way in twists and turns across the countryside for some 20km. Interspersed with small villages, farmland and tiny forests, for its contrast, […]

The morning found us back on the Leie, pointing the bow of Gratis Gent way for a few kilometres. With the prop requiring its new anode sooner rather than later, we were having to pick up a little pace. Two locks with drops of under three metres were the only stops along the way, were […]

Arriving at the entrance to Lock nine at 9am on this warm summer’s day, our delightful lock keeper was there to see us through. There is no VHF contact for these locks, so the mobile phone (+32 4789 6203) comes in handy for arranging passage. The lock hours for each gate opening are highly restricted, […]

The part required for the running of the engine arrived via courier at the mooring dock just after lunch. By mid – afternoon, our sojourn along this not oft traversed section of water by pleasure boats commenced and, with the three locks at Kortrijk only operating between 9am and 4pm, it was a short run […]