With concerns that the Canal du Nord and the routes through Flanders may be restricted, we choose to take the Sambre canal into Belgium. A bit of a gamble wondering if there would be enough depth of water for us at the top of the hill. It turned out to be a great experience.
The Sambre all to ourselves
Only another 50 locks to go!
This 187 km long waterway with 65 locks had only just been reopened in 2021 after being closed to navigation since 2006 due to a collapsed aquaduct.
Not many boats have passed this way.
A quiet overnight mooring on the Sambre canal.
The drought has caused many boaters to abandon travelling too far so we had the waterway almost to ourselves. The lockkeepers were delighted to see us and were taking great trouble to manage the water levels along the route.
A celebratory BBQ at Etreux, the summit lock on the Sambre.
The fine weather stays with us as we descend lock by lock
Our plan once past the summit was to join the Meuse and enter the Netherlands at Maastricht. That plan was shattered when we learned that one of the locks at Auvelais on our route to the Meuse had failed and was to be closed for two weeks.
Ittre lock, the 14M drop is one of the deepest in Belgium. A commercial barge is descending.
We had a plan B, which was to turn left at Charleroi and head north through Brussels, Antwerp and into the Netherlands that way. We then learn that the most direct route through the port of Antwerp was to be closed to all non commercial vessels. Our only remaining option would be the tidal Schelte river route down to Zeeland where we could finally lock into the Netherlands.
Too late to turn back, we continue and have the experience of riding the Ronquieres incline plane boat lift, and take a visit to the Waterloo battlefield.
Antiope takes a ride on the rails down the hill for 1.5 kms, a descent of 70 m.
At Waterloo, a short distance from the waterway, stands a massive Lion cast from the battlefield cannons on top of a hill created by the labours of the widows of the battle.
It is sad to reflect that right now over 200 years later on the fringe of Europe, war is being raged and with no end in sight.
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