Needed to up my training for an upcoming race so decided to do an all nighter to evade the heath-wave. So parked my car in Wervik, had dinner with my friend Aäron near Ypres and had him drop me off in Nieuwpoort.
I begin chasing the last rays off sunshine during Dusk until I got stuck after some light bushwhacking at km 6,26 where the track had fallen into the river. So looped back since I didn't pack a dry bag hoping this would be the only hick-up … Alas at 8,34 k of the original gpx an new section of bushwhacking presented itself. Wanting to comply with the route as best ass possible I stupidly pushed forward. But this was a trace that nobody had walked in months, maybe even a year. What followed were 400m of tedious progress in reeds upto 3+ meters in height that took away all vision, with only the GPX on my Suunto to help me keep any sense of direction. Near the end there was point where the water came above my knees and some swampy soil made me happy I had tied my laces properly.
At 22,1 km I had to take a slight detour since the military domain at the Dodengang with it’s WWI trenches was closed. Turns out it was the last detour I was forced to take. At another point between Noordschote and Zuidschote there were some shorter sections of stinging nettles that kept me from needing caffeine.
After Ypres the pace started to slow down. Partly because of the all nighter but also because I had started the night with 4 liters of water since I couldn’t rely on shops or other assistance. Arrived at the finish line as the first rays of sunshine started to appear in the sky. Then followed by a slow 2k walk back to my car in Wervik.