Walking and cycling


On the border between Hageland and the Kempen, this museum offers the opportunity to explore the verdant surroundings. It’s only a stone’s throw away from the nature reserve where the rivers Dyle and Laak intersect. This is the ideal spot for a walk or cycle trip. Sportsmen and people looking for a bit of peace and quiet will find this area to their liking.

Choose a lively voyage of discovery in Father Damien’s native region.

Tremelo Guides

Plan your route via the delineated and signposted routes.

Available from 15 may

Attractions in the area


Sven Nys Cycling Center

You walk under championship jerseys from one historic cycling moment to another victory. Look in the camper van where cyclo-cross riders prepare for a race. Try it for yourself and see how far you get through the sandpit with a bicycle and match the correct tyre tread to the right soil.

Outside, against the sides of the Balenberg, you can enjoy yourself on the famous Grand Prix Sven Nys cyclo-cross track or on the BMX, trial and mountain bike tracks. Afterwards you can enjoy a unique panorama from the terrace of the cycling pub Velo.

www.svennyscyclingcenter.be
info@svennyscyclingcenter.be
T: 016 41 72 68

Rock Werchter X and Jack-Op

In the Rock Werchter X experience centre you’ll relive the memorable moments of four decades of Rock Werchter based on posters, facts, images, names and music. Jack-Op, the famous beer from Werchter, also gets pride of place. Alternating anecdotes about Rock Werchter and brewery Jack-Op make this visit unique and interesting. You can taste a Jack-Op beer in the cosy ‘Jack-Op museum café’.

Three impressive towers made up of cargo containers and covered with graffiti stand on the Rock Werchter field: the North West Walls.

www.rockwerchterx.be
toerisme@rotselaar.be
T: 016 61 64 06

Meet the Demer river

The Demer winds through lovely landscapes, from Diest to Werchter, like a blue and green ribbon. From the autumn of 2017, you’ll come across five ‘Demer Gates’ in Diest, Scherpenheuvel-Zichem, Langdorp, Betekom and Werchter.

The five, beautiful ‘meeting’ gates are the ideal departure point for exploring the Demer Valley on foot, by bike or kayak. Always unique, always with a story about the Demer River in the past and the present – in short, a lovely cycle ride!

https://goo.gl/WJercY (NL)

Experience Centre ’14-’18 Tildonk

In this exciting experience centre, in the former Ursuline convent in Tildonk, you’ll relive the war years through the eyes of the people. Get swept up in the gripping stories, touching photos and lively anecdotes – fascinating history for young and old.

www.vlaamsbrabant14-18.be
grooteoorlog@vlaamsbrabant.be
T: 0471 97 36 42

Leuven

The most famous and most beautiful Gothic town hall in the world, exquisite churches like the Gothic St Peter’s Church and the Baroque St Michael’s Church, the peace and quiet of the Grand Beguinage. Historic splendour!

www.leuven.be

Damien Centre Leuven

Make your visit to this Damien Museum complete by visiting St Damien’s grave. Father Damien is buried in a crypt in St Anthony’s chapel on the Damiaanplein in Leuven.

Tip: the Damien cycling route (40km) takes you from the house where St Damien was born to his grave.

www.damiaanvandaag.be

Visitor’s Centre of Hageland Wine

Do you want to know all about Hageland wine? Fancy sampling it? Then step inside the Visitor’s Centre of Hageland Wine in the centre of Wezemaal. Beautiful walks also depart from here. The visitor’s centre is the starting point of the Vineyard Walk (Wijngaardwandeling), one of the loveliest walks in Flanders.

www.rotselaar.be
toerisme@rotselaar.be
T: 016 61 64 40

Aarschotse Bruine

We have to admit, it’s not really a pub. But the museum café ‘t Bruine Café in Aarschot imitates the atmosphere of an old pub very well. It’s the ideal place to try a regional beer like the real Aarschotse Bruine.

www.hetgasthuis.be/cafe
T: 016 56 48 24

Horst Castle

A magnificent water castle that looks just as it did when the last noble inhabitants moved out in the 17th century. There are treasure hunts for the children, you can relive history, or simply admire the castle from the terrace of Het Wagenhuis.

www.kasteelvanhorst.be
kasteel.horst@herita.be
T: 016 62 33 45

Vlooyberg Tower

A little bit of surrealism in the middle of the Hageland landscape. This floating lookout staircase in rusty brown steel projects eleven metres high above the Vlooyberg in Tielt-Winge. You are able to see as far as Vilvoorde and the coal mines in Limburg.

Basilica of Our Lady of Scherpenheuvel

The most famous basilica in Belgium was consecrated in 1627. Archdukes Albert and Isabella closely followed its construction. The Virgin Mary has been watching the hustle and bustle of the cosiest pilgrimage city in Belgium from the rooftop for almost four centuries.

www.scherpenheuvel.be

Diest

Small, white houses with the house saint in a niche above the door, cobbled streets around a Gothic beguinage church. The beguinage of Diest is the oldest, most beautiful and best preserved beguinage in Europe.

Stroll along the Demer River, which flows through the city and has footpaths, cycling paths, water access points and terraces on its banks. There is even a plank bridge over the water. A green-blue ribbon that runs through this historic city.

www.diest.be

The Moment and Averbode Abbey

The Norbertines who live in the beautiful Averbode Abbey continue an ancient abbey tradition in the experience centre The Moment. Taste their bread, cheese, beer and abbey gingerbread.

www.averbodemoment.be
info@averbodemoment.be
T: 013 69 99 34

The Botermolen – mill

Go back in time and discover many utensils from the past. In this museum you can check out the objects in rebuilt locations such as a living room, school, dairy, farm and even a foyer with the original fire place from 1769. The barn has an almost complete collection of barrows and carriages that were typically for the region.

www.debotermolen.be