フランダースでの周辺の簡単なハイキングとウォーキング

A small, hidden gem of the heath. Heather blooms here from mid-August to mid-September. Flora and fauna in harmony. With a bit of luck, you might spot a deer frolicking through the vegetation.

Overall, this place and the surrounding area is a great practice ground for sand riding and has beautiful nature.

Great view of the heathland

The viewpoint in the Mechelse Heide offers hikers a magnificent panorama of the vast, hilly landscape of the Voerstreek region. From this elevated spot, you can enjoy expansive vistas of rolling meadows, wooded banks, sunken lanes, and the picturesque villages that dot the landscape. The Mechelse Heide itself is a nature reserve with heathlands, grasslands, and marshlands where diverse plants and animals thrive. The viewpoint offers not only a scenic stop during a walk but also an opportunity to spot birds or study the landscape's relief.

The boardwalk in the Ven onder de Berg Nature Reserve offers hikers a unique way to explore the marshy and wet landscape of the Voer region. The path is elevated above the damp ground and reeds, allowing visitors to walk through the reserve without getting their feet wet or disturbing the natural environment. The nature reserve itself is rich in biodiversity: reed beds, damp grasslands, and small ponds provide a home for amphibians, waterfowl, and unique plants such as bog myrtle and marsh marigold. The boardwalk allows hikers to observe and photograph this unique flora and fauna up close without damaging the fragile ecosystem.

Over the years, the castle was modernized and updated. This included the tower, whose heavy line of the fortified wall was broken by irregular window and door arrangements. The castle still houses remarkable works of art. The neo-Gothic armory houses a cast-iron stove from 1539 and two marble Renaissance mantelpieces. The castle also contains important paintings, tapestries, gold leather wallpaper, and furniture in a variety of styles. (Municipality of Westerlo)

A beautiful bridge over the Grote Nete river, not far from Merode Castle. You must cross the bridge to continue along the Grote Nete.

The statue of the Archangel Gabriel was pulled from its pedestal and destroyed by vandals during the night of December 31, 2015, and January 1, 2016. The terracotta statue, sculpted by August Verrebout, was erected in 1887 by Countess Nathalie De Croy, wife of Henri de Merode, together with her sister-in-law, Countess Jeanne de Merode, in gratitude for the birth of their first son, Charles de Merode. Restorer Bart Keutgens from Zoerle-Parwijs reassembled the statue from the fragments, which were then stripped of its paint. During this restoration, the maker's signature was revealed. The statue and its pedestal were then placed in the Merode Chapel of St. Lambertus Church; in the chapel on Het Riet, the statue will be replaced by a replica. (Inventory of Immovable Heritage)