Three countries, two wheels, one day. What a feeling it is to set off from home in Kent, hop on a ferry, and then pedal up and along the North Sea coast to find yourself supping a well-earned Belgian beer or two by the evening.

When I first discovered it was possible for cyclists to cross the Channel under their own steam, rolling through the Port of Dover and straight onto the ship, I had it down as a mini-break idea that I wanted to tick off my list of travel adventures. Which is how I came to find myself on a rather drizzly Friday morning at the Eastern Docks, with little by way of a plan beyond turning left at Dunkirk and aiming in the direction of Ostend.

Before setting out, my biggest concerns were the prospect of a puncture or some other mechanical failure in the middle of the Flemish countryside, or the chance that I’d get badly lost and find myself heading in entirely the wrong direction. I’d take my chances with the former, armed with a couple of spare inner tubes and a few rudimentary bike tools. The latter, however, was resolved thanks to the wonderful camaraderie of my fellow cyclists.

There were probably around 20 other riders waiting to board our DFDS ferry to Dunkirk, and I fell into easy conversation with a group who were, like me, planning a weekend exploring Belgium on two wheels. Explaining I was a first-timer when it came to cycling abroad, they kindly invited me to join them on the first leg of the journey from the port to the centre of Dunkirk itself.

Happily, they had done some comprehensive route planning, so when we rolled off the ship and onto French soil all I had to do was stick to the wheel in front and be guided through the busy roads leading away from the docks – navigating a few roundabouts and avoiding the many lorries which came pouring off the ferry with us.

That’s not to say that there weren’t a few moments where we, as a group, took the odd wrong turn. But as the first miles of the day flew past, we were soon well into our rhythm and coasting along segregated cycle routes leading into the town of Dunkirk. It was here on the seafront at Malo-les-Bains that we parted company, and I struck out for La Vélomaritime cycle path which would guide me to the Belgian border.

I should probably explain why I chose the Belgian coast as the destination for this two-night break across the water. I do most of my cycling on the Romney Marsh, being more interested in pootling along at a leisurely pace – with the occasional pub stop – as opposed to slogging my way up any challenging climbs. Given the famously flat terrain of the low countries, I knew that I’d have no difficulty in clocking up the miles to reach my base for the weekend in Ostend.

The Belgian coast is also dotted with lovely little seaside towns that are well worth a stop, all linked by the remarkable Kusttram (Coast Tram) which runs from De Panne near the French border for 42 miles to Knokke-Heist near the Dutch border. With 67 stops along the way, I was banking on letting the tram take the strain should I run out of gas en route.

I had been armed with a list of things to see along the way, and my first stop was on the seafront at De Panne to see the monument erected to mark the spot where Leopold I, the first King of Belgium, first set foot in the country in July 1831 following its gaining of independence from the Netherlands.

They definitely go in for statues along this stretch of sea, with around 40 pieces installed along the sea walls, beaches and dunes of the Belgian coast as part of the Beaufort triennial art event that has been taking place since 2003. Further up the coast from De Panne, I stop in Oostduinkerke to admire the statues of the garnaalvissers, the fishermen who ride on horseback to harvest the grey shrimp which are a much-loved local delicacy in these parts.

After 30 or so miles in the saddle, I arrive on the outskirts of Nieuwpoort, where according to my mapping app I can take a ferry for a short hop across the mouth of the Yser river where it meets the sea. Unfortunately, on arriving at the jetty, I discover the service has ceased with the end of the summer season, so I have to swing south into the town. Looking at the time, and factoring in the fact I have to check-in to my hotel and have a dinner reservation in Ostend, I do decide to let the tram carry me on the last leg of today’s journey. There’ll still be plenty more cycling to come in the coming days.

After freshening up at the hotel, the very contemporary Upstairs Hotel just a stone’s throw from the beach, it’s time to head out for something to eat. Having come across the statues of the fishermen earlier, the North Sea shrimp are definitely on my mind, and after a short walk through the buzzy Friday evening streets of Ostend I soon find myself perusing a menu of classic Flemish fare at Brasserie Rubens on the Visserskaai overlooking the entrance to the harbour.

With a reliably-excellent Belgian beer on the go, I opt for the grey shrimp croquettes to start, followed by a steaming portion of stoofvlees, a classic Flemish beef stew, accompanied by – what else – a portion of fries. But whatever you do, don’t dare call them French fries on this side of the border, unless you want to elicit a decidedly frosty response from your hosts.

After a restorative night’s sleep, I rise early to take the free ferry from the Visserskaai which takes me across the harbour and heading further up the coast towards the Dutch border. It’s the right time to reflect on just how easy the cycling is in this part of the world, with well-maintained and signposted cycle routes leading you effortlessly from town to town along the coast.

My first stop is in the gorgeous resort town of De Haan, which is blessed with charming belle epoque buildings and was once, for a short while in 1933, home to the physicist Albert Einstein. I park my bike at the lovely tram station, which is built in the architectural style so prevalent in these parts, and walk through the town a while before stopping for coffee.

Next stop is Blankenberge, where again I park up at the tram station, before walking to the seafront and the Belgium Pier. Built in 1933 in the Art Deco style, the pier stretches 350 metres out to sea and at the end is a restaurant where you can take a seat and dine with a wonderful view back across the wide sandy beach towards the promenade.

I end my day’s riding in the town of Knokke-Heist, the terminus of the Kusttram, enjoying a beer at one of the many seafront bars and restaurants before riding the tram back along the coast to Ostend. Dinner tonight is at the CultuurCafé, part of a thriving arts centre housed in the city’s former post office, De Grote Post. After a starter of cheese croquettes, I enjoy a stew of fish and seafood caught off the coast in the North Sea. It is a delicious meal, made all the more enjoyable by the beer which my host chooses to pair with the dish. They are rightly proud of their brewing heritage in this part of the world, and it’s refreshing to see beer being treated with the same passion and respect as wine in the culinary arena.

Ostend has been something of a revelation. I hadn’t really known what to expect from this port city, but the welcome has been warm, the weekend atmosphere has been lively, and the food delicious. It may not be on most people’s city break radar, nearby Bruges hogging most of the limelight locally, but I think it will amply reward those who give it a try.

Rising early again the next morning, I set out for the longest ride of the weekend. I am determined to make it all the way back to the port in Dunkirk on pedal-power alone, and soon I am flying along the promenade with the sea to my right and the coastal towns whizzing by on my left. I am planning to cycle around 50 miles today, with a few stops along the way to break up the ride.

Soon I am back in Nieuwpoort, where I stop to visit the Westfront museum and memorial to the fallen Belgian soldiers of the First World War. The excellent, compact museum does a great job of explaining the importance of the town and its complex system of waterways which played a crucial role in the early days of the Great War. During the Battle of the Yser in October 1914, the decision was taken to open the sluices at Nieuwpoort, flooding the low-lying terrain and checking the German advance towards the sea.

After learning about the battle, it is possible to ascend to the top of the memorial and take in the views across the land and waterways which had been so bitterly fought over, and remained the only small slice of the country to be unoccupied by the invading Germans during the conflict.

From here the riding remains easy, retracing my route through De Panne, across the border, and into Dunkirk. On the final leg towards the port I rejoin the group from London who I had ridden with two days earlier as we sweep towards the port, through passport control, and on to our waiting ferry.

We share our experiences of our Belgian adventures, all marvelling at just how welcoming the environment has been for cyclists – and wishing infrastructure on our side of the Channel could be as well thought-out and executed. It’s been an eye-opening weekend, my first taste of cycle touring overseas, and it has left me eager to return to the continent on two wheels in the future.

Rhys Griffiths travelled as a guest of DFDS and Westtoer. DFDS offers up to 30 crossings per day on its Dover to Calais service and up to 24 daily sailings from Dover to Dunkirk. Cyclists can take their bike across the Channel with DFDS from just £25 each way.