Entrance gate to the Gerhagen Silence Area

Gate Gerhagen is the name given by the municipality of Tessenderlo to this symbolic gate that, on the one hand, provides access to the Gerhagen nature reserve and the De Merode landscape park - of which Tessenderlo is the only Limburg municipality represented and Gerhagen is a part of. On the other hand, Poort Gerhagen is also the "green gate" to the province of Limburg. After all, the nature reserve is located together with part of Averbode Bos & Heide (which is partly located on Tessenderlo territory) at the tip of the "nose of Limburg". In short: a double gate function where Gerhagen wants to play a role. It is therefore no coincidence that the Poort Gerhagen information point is located in the building where the Forest Museum is housed, where you can get information about Gerhagen, Limburg and the De Merode landscape park. Anyone who steps from the parking lot to the forest museum, the sand mountain and the lookout tower will see the "gate" at the end, with immediately behind it the forest museum building with the information point located at the front of this building.

As you can read in the Forest Museum (see also image), both the museum and the environment in which it is located were adapted to function as a gateway to the Merode area.

Poort Gerhagen on the municipality's website: tessenderlo.be/poort-gerhagen

Three walks depart from here: two silent walks and the whisper path. The gate contains some info and there are some stuffed animals with buttons to hear the sounds they make. For many children (from 4 to 99) the temptation is very great to press those buttons and that's what they're there for :) Before the walks: bend over. Walking plan and explanation if necessary in the forest museum just opposite and if it is closed: there is an information board with a map.

As a big adult you have to bend down here.