Kleine Geul

Kleine Geul is a small creek — a former water arm typical of the coastal polder landscape of Flanders — located in the municipality of Assenede, in East Flanders, within the Meetjesland region. It sits right at the heart of the local krekengebied, a network of historic creeks that gives this corner of Belgium its distinctive flat, water-laced character.

Where did Kleine Geul come from?

The creek originated in the 15th and 16th centuries as a side branch of a larger watercourse, the Vliet. When the Nicasiuspolder dyke was built between 1519 and 1520, Kleine Geul was cut off from its parent channel and absorbed into the polder system. Since then it has functioned as a self-contained, closed body of water rather than part of an active river system — which explains its calm, still character today.

What does it look like today?

Kleine Geul lies just south of its larger counterpart, Grote Geul, together forming part of the wider creek network around Assenede. Its banks are lined with a relatively species-poor reed fringe, typical of this kind of standing water within a polder. The entire creek is now used as a fishing pond, making it a spot visited mainly by local angling enthusiasts rather than by mass tourism.

Why is the area protected?

Part of the area where Kleine Geul is located falls under European protection as part of the Natura 2000 site "Polders" (code BE2500002). The Assenede krekengebied as a whole is considered a landscape and ecologically valuable part of the Meetjesland region: the mosaic of creeks, polders and farmland provides important habitat for waterfowl and wetland vegetation.

How to explore the surroundings?

Kleine Geul itself has no dedicated visitor infrastructure — it's best understood as one piece of the broader creek landscape around Assenede, which is best explored on foot or by bike. Walking routes in the area trace the network of creeks, linking Grote Geul, Kleine Geul and other former water branches, offering a way to see how centuries-old hydraulic engineering shaped today's landscape.

Frequently asked questions

Is Kleine Geul a river or a lake? Technically it's a creek — a former water arm now cut off from the main river system and functioning as a closed body of water within a polder.

Can you fish there? Yes, the entire creek is used as a fishing pond.

Is the surrounding area protected? Part of it belongs to the Natura 2000 site "Polders" (BE2500002), underlining the ecological value of this landscape.

What else is worth seeing nearby? The neighbouring, larger Grote Geul creek and the rest of the Assenede krekengebied, together forming a network of walking routes through the region's historic water landscape.