Going Continental
In April of 2017, I set off for a long weekend in Belgium to attend the Brugse Beer Mega Event (GC6K187), based in the chocolate-box city of Bruges. Daughterus Maximus was my co-pilot for this one. With car full of stuff we headed off in search of caches, food, beer, and a few familiar faces from the caching scene. It was very much a geocaching-first trip. Quick, focused, and crammed with smiley faces on the map.
A Place to Stay
Accommodation-wise, we went for practical over plush. The Value Stay Bruges isn’t winning any design awards, but it did exactly what we needed: a hot shower, a clean bed, and somewhere to recharge both bodies and batteries. A short drive, long walk, or medium-length rickshaw ride from the centre of Bruges, it gave us just enough comfort without straining the budget too much.
Getting There
We went via the Channel Tunnel, which meant a smooth and speedy crossing into France, then a straightforward drive across the border into Belgium. On the way out, we made a decent caching stop along the French–Belgian border, knocking off a tidy little series at Ghyvelde that made the journey feel instantly productive. Sunshine, border markers, and lots of tupperware.
The Caches
Saturday was all about the main event. We spent the day in and around Bruges, soaking up the atmosphere and ticking off both lab caches and traditionals as we moved between event zones. Plenty of other cachers around, plenty of chat, and a good mix of hides that made you look twice (and then once more just to be sure).
Sunday took us coastward, first to Zeebrugge and then further east to Knokke-Heist. It was a busy day of caching, with warm weather, open skies, and wide-open agricultural spaces. Nice change of pace after Saturday.
On Monday, we wound our way back toward the Channel Tunnel. We started with a final batch of Bruges caches. We got to Calais early, so we made a cheeky stop at Cap Blanc-Nez to pass the time. A windy clifftop for a few final scenic finds, and a good way to round off the weekend.
Extras
We went up into the centre of Bruges on two nights, and found some excellent venues to eat and drink. Otherwise it was all cachetty-cache for the weekend.
Individual Posts
Here’s the day-by-day write-up of our caching-heavy long weekend to Bruges for the 2017 Brugse Beer Mega Event.
