Now you are in the middle of the dune belt: 3,000 hectares of pure gold! An overwhelming mix of untouched forests, colorful heaths, beautiful moors, fields and meadows.

In the …

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Dominiek Van Dooren

October 12, 2023

Hiking

The pearl of the Dune Belt is the Oudsberg: the highest and largest open drift dune in Flanders. It rises 85 m above sea level. The Oudsberg is surrounded by beautiful heathlands, stately forests and butterfly-rich heathland grasslands. Since 1998 it has been recognized as a Flemish nature reserve.
(duinenbanden.be)

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February 11, 2024

Hiking

The Oudsberg nature reserve belongs to a dune belt that used to stretch from Hechtel to Maaseik. 15,000 years ago, after the last ice ages, the Kempen Plateau experienced enormous sand drifts. Deep, empty depressions formed, in which fens arose. High sand deposits rose above the landscape like dune ridges. As the climate warmed, birch and oak forests developed.
In the Middle Ages, the soil southwest of De Oudsberg became impoverished due to intensive extraction. As a result, only heather could survive. Local overgrazing of sheep again caused sand drift, which shaped the current dune landscape. More at natuurenbos.be/natuurgebied/oudsberg

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Nearby routes

Best routes near Oudsberg Sand Dune

4.8

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690

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#1.

Oudsberg Sand Dune – Heathland on the Oudsberg Dune loop from Opglabbeek

10.1km

02:36

50m

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Moderate

4.9

(35)

248

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#2.

Our Lady at the tree – Oudsberg Sand Dune loop from Opoeteren

8.34km

02:10

50m

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Moderate

4.7

(43)

187

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#3.

Oudsberg Inland Dune – Oudsberg Dune loop from Gruitrode

20.8km

05:20

90m

Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Hard

Details

Informations

Elevation 120 m

Weather

Sunday 29 March

9°C

2°C

60 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 19.0 km/h

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Location: Meeuwen-Gruitrode, Maaseik, South Limburg, Flanders, Belgium

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Oudsberg Sand Dune

#1.

Oudsberg Sand Dune – Heathland on the Oudsberg Dune loop from Opglabbeek

#2.

Our Lady at the tree – Oudsberg Sand Dune loop from Opoeteren

#3.

Oudsberg Inland Dune – Oudsberg Dune loop from Gruitrode

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