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Natural Monuments

Genkse Heide and Schemmersberg Sand Pit

Natural Monuments

Genkse Heide and Schemmersberg Sand Pit

Highlight (Segment) • Natural

Genkse Heide and Schemmersberg Sand Pit

Recommended by 24 hikers out of 25

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Location: Genk, Hasselt, South Limburg, Flanders, Belgium

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Best Hiking Routes to Genkse Heide and Schemmersberg Sand Pit

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1. De Maten Nature Reserve – Bokrijk Castle loop from Bokrijk

23.0km

05:53

90m

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

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Hard

4.4

(22)

110

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2. De Maten Nature Reserve – De Maten Nature Reserve loop from Genk

24.5km

06:17

100m

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

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Hard

4.4

(7)

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3. Winterslag Sports Complex – Schemmersberg Sand Pit loop from Staatstuinwijk

6.86km

01:46

40m

Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Easy

Tips

🇧🇪 Herwig Aertbeliën

January 18, 2024

Information about this special but certainly not inferior nature reserve:
How did the Genk heath come about?
Heathland is a landscape and nature type that was created by humans. Very little food could be grown on the poor sandy soils of the Kempen. The residents had a solution for this: the deep litter system. Thin forests with many open spaces and drifting dunes, with some grassy vegetation, naturally grew on the poor sandy soils. These vegetations could be eaten by sheep and other livestock, so they were grazed intensively. Afterwards the cattle returned to the stables, where the manure was also deposited.
Many plant and animal species found their place here and are now really dependent on these biotopes. Think of the smooth snake, moor frog, moor butterfly, saddle grasshopper, nightjar, etc. But the extremely rare spring fire spider also only occurs on well-developed, old heathlands. That is why it is important to maintain these areas. If the biotope is lost, for example by planting forests, the species will be lost along with it.
In this way, the meager vegetation was transformed into a useful raw material for humans. This person could then be deployed locally to do some farming. At the same time, the grazed areas became even more impoverished, as the consumed nutrients were removed and used elsewhere. In this way, gigantic heathlands were created over the centuries, which were maintained by agriculture.
The city has been carrying out heathland management for years to preserve the Genk heathland.
Come discover this hidden gem for yourself.

Translated by Google •

🇧🇪 Herwig Aertbeliën

January 19, 2024

The Schemmersberg is a 40-hectare heathland and dune area that is closely linked to the Zonhoverheide forest complex.
Drift plains with sand sedge and bunt grass have a place on the abandoned parts of the sand quarry. The Schemmersberg walks run near the old agricultural hamlet of “Klotbroek” (the old name is Slaapdel). Schemmersberg is derived from the Middle Dutch schim, which means shadow. The Schemmersberg area has 3 marked walks.

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Marc 🚶‍♂️

February 7, 2022

Beautiful heath path with sand pit

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Details

Informations

Distance 916 m

Uphill 10 m

Downhill 20 m

Weather

Saturday 27 December

5°C

-2°C

0 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 13.0 km/h

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Location: Genk, Hasselt, South Limburg, Flanders, Belgium

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Genkse Heide and Schemmersberg Sand Pit

1. De Maten Nature Reserve – Bokrijk Castle loop from Bokrijk

2. De Maten Nature Reserve – De Maten Nature Reserve loop from Genk

3. Winterslag Sports Complex – Schemmersberg Sand Pit loop from Staatstuinwijk

Other Popular Places to Check Out

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