Folk games in Poperinge pubs

A first visit to Poperinge beer festival in October 2025, gave an opportunity to also visit several ' Folk sports cafes ' with a variety of Flemish 'folk games' as part of a city walk .

'Shot at Dawn' memorial by Anno Dijkstra with a hollow base.

On Sunday 26 October, Tim's walk started in Burggraaf Frimoutpark named after Dirk Frimout , the first Belgian astronaut. The park features a raised wooden walkway, paths, trees and statues. 

Town Hall  -  Master Ghybe  -  War Memorial

After a circuit of the park, Tim crossed the Grote Markt with the Town Hall on one corner across from St Bertinus church. Near the church there is a war memorial and the Master Ghybe statue where the folklore figure sits backwards on a donkey holding a boulder which relates to longstanding rivalry between Poperinge and Ypres. The boulder is the symbol of the people of Poperinge who are also called "keikop" (stone head).

The next stage of the route was to walk the length of Quintens Wandeling from its starting point between 45 and 47 Professor Dewulfstraat. This follows the route of the former Poperinge - Hazebrouck railway line, closed to passengers since 1954 with the track removed in 1972. 

Het Mysterie

Volksspelencafe Het Mysterie, Abeelseweg 29, lies just south of the town's ring road (Westlaan).

There's a bar for drinkers on the left and a larger room on the right of the central entrance. I sat in the front corner of the larger room and ordered St Bernardus Pater 6 brewed locally at Watou.

There's a selection of available bottles on display on five shelves at the inside end of this room. There may only be a few draught beers but a wide range of local, unusual and Trappist bottled beers means that there is something to satisfy every beer lover.

One shelf has 'witch / spooky themed' beers including Quintine Blonde, four from De Bie Brouwerij and three from Brouwerij De Moare. There's a bottle of Picon on the top shelf. 

With Halloween approaching it was hard to tell how much of the spooky decor was permanent and how much was added for Halloween. The gas canister 'pumpkins' outside were particularly impressive.

I was well looked after at Het Mysterie and was given a small dish of different cheeses. Later, I ordered soup with bread for lunch and was then treated to more cheese that had been left over from the lunch for an extended family group who had been sitting around a large table in the same room.

There are further rooms in a timber extension behind the premises and beyond that a long garden. This is where most of the 'folk games / sports' are played. 

It was a delight to see people enjoying themselves in traditional pastimes involving mental and physical skills. Most of the games were played on boards or frames made from wood.

It was obvious from their customers that Het Mysterie has an appeal for people of all ages.

Bierhuis In den Havermuis

Returning towards Poperinge, taking a path parallel to Quintens Wandeling, gives views of Poperingevaart and a group of local residents on walkabout!

Where this path ends at a street named Havermuis (Harvest mouse?!), the western brick wall of In den Havermuis is visible, 50 metres up a slight slope, where Quintens Wandeling meets Havermuis.

The bricks at the front have been painted white and there is a wooden fence with a wide gate. The Bierhuis looked closed but there was some sound from inside and after opening the green door I was greeted by a lively pub dog eager to assess a new arrival. 

Thankfully, the proprietor calmed his dog and as only one table in the room was occupied, I was soon seated and served with a glass of Queue de Charrue Ploegsteert Blond from a bottle (€4). This fairly sweet 6.6% ABV Belgian Blonde is brewed by Vanuxeem at Ploegsteert, 20 km to the south, near the border with France and Armentieres. The two draught beers were Stella Artois and Brugse Zot.

From my table, I could see display cabinets filled with mouse figures, a standing mouse wearing a coat in a brick alcove and a tall cage with canaries next to the bar, behind a wooden fence to keep the dog away.

It was lucky that on Sundays the Bierhuis provides complimentary snacks at lunchtime and I enjoyed a small dish with hot chicken wings and sausages!

Before leaving I enquired about folk games but was only able to learn that these are only played here during summer months. It was just possible to leave through the narrowly opened door without the lively dog escaping. 

Less cold and still bright, the return to Poperinge along Quintens Wandeling gave a view of the Old Military Cemetery. Following the bronze arrow symbols for the route in the pavement at Deken de Bolaan led into Poperinge Communal Cemetery and on to the town centre.

De Legen Doorn

Situated north of the town centre, from Gasthuisstraat just follow Pottestraat up a gradual incline until you reach De Legen Doorn (The Empty Thorn) at the junction with Sint Sixtusstraat.

Arriving at 4.15pm, it was quiet in the front bar. The beer menu lists Streekbieren (regional beers) at the top, featuring Poperings Hommelbier, Tripel Plukker and four beers from St Bernardus brewed in Watou. 

St Bernardus Extra 4 Blond was rather dry for my taste but good value (€3.50).

There was a darts board and an unusual streamlined stove in the larger room on the other side from the bar. It gave out a lot of heat from burning coal.

I asked the lady who served me if I could see the folk games room and she kindly escorted me to the Boltra alley at the back of the building where a privately booked game was in progress. It was fascinating to watch the progress of the thick wooden discs being rolled down the trough-like alley even if the rules were unknown. Once again it was encouraging to see a group of mixed ages enjoying their drinks and activities. To play Boltra / Trabol here one must reserve the alley. I think the charge mentioned was €20 per hour.

Now it was only a 400 metre walk down Doornstraat to Maeke-Blydezaal to meet up with my CAMRA friends again for the second and final day of Poperinge Beer Festival.