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Belgium

Flanders

South Limburg

Tongeren

Alken

The Herk

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Places to see

Belgium

Flanders

South Limburg

Tongeren

Alken

The Herk

Recommended by 26 hikers out of 27

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Location: Alken, Tongeren, South Limburg, Flanders, Belgium

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Best Hikes to The Herk

4.6

(7)

hikers

1. Grootbeemdsloot – The Herk loop from Alken

9.98km

02:32

20m

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

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Intermediate

4.5

(11)

hikers

2. St. John the Baptist Church Wellen – The Herk loop from Wellen

12.0km

03:02

30m

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

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Intermediate

4.8

(5)

hikers

3. Boardwalk Nietelbroeken – Nietelbroeken Nature Reserve loop from Alken

23.1km

05:53

70m

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

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Expert

Tips

Jeff S

July 27, 2022

Nice walk next to the Herk...

Translated by Google •

Viviane

January 21, 2025

The Herk is a small river in Limburg Haspengouw. The watercourse rises in Rukkelingen-Loon (municipality of Heers) near the provincial border of Limburg - Liège. It is additionally fed at Sint-Lambrechts-Herk by the inflowing Mombeek. At the border between Herk-de-Stad and Halen it flows into the Gete.

Thanks to the water purification plant in Alken (1998), the water quality is good, which was different in the past, when the Alken brewery used the water from the Herk for cooling and the river also served as a drainage channel.

The river gives its name to several places it passes, such as Herk-de-Stad and Sint-Lambrechts-Herk. Many castles have been built in the valley of the Herk, including the castle of Rullingen. The towns of Wellen, Alken, Voort, Gotem, Hoepertingen, Berlingen, Herten, Terkoest and Stevoort and a number of watermills are also located on the Herk. The name Herk comes from the Celtic word arika, diminutive of ara which means river. So Herk means small river or stream.

Translated by Google •

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Details

Informations

Elevation 80 m

Weather

Today

Sunday 21 September

15°C

8°C

40 %

If you start your activity now...

Max wind speed: 18.0 km/h

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See hikes here

Take Me There

Location: Alken, Tongeren, South Limburg, Flanders, Belgium

The Herk

1. Grootbeemdsloot – The Herk loop from Alken

2. St. John the Baptist Church Wellen – The Herk loop from Wellen

3. Boardwalk Nietelbroeken – Nietelbroeken Nature Reserve loop from Alken

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