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Fort van Kessel so 😉

Here you can still see the remains of a straight trench, dug in 1914 at the beginning of the First World War. Advanced sentries were established on the front line between Fort Kessel and Fort Broechem. From there, soldiers could observe enemy advances and patrol the surrounding area. This trench is a remnant of that. Trenches allowed soldiers to move quickly and unseen across the barren heathland. Now, the trench adds some relief to the landscape, giving other plant species a chance to thrive.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, the Kesselse Heide was a popular location for military exercises. It was used successively by the Belgian army (specifically the Achterbist region), during World War II by German soldiers, and in the post-war period by the Allies. Locals would sometimes "play" with the soldiers as children, participating in exercises such as quickly reassembling a weapon. However, from the early 1950s onward, the fun ended: the start of the Korean War and more frequent exercises led to stricter rules. Perhaps for the best, as the soldiers had access to heavy artillery. The heath contained several gun pits, part of the defense line around Nijlen. The famous "Horseshoe Pit" was one of them. This pit was originally circular and was (possibly) dug during the First World War to wash the soldiers' horses. Later, a small land bridge was added, making the island in the middle accessible. For many locals, it served as a beautiful swimming hole and a place for summer recreation.

The Kesselse Heide is a provincial green space covering 79 hectares, 61 of which are open to the public. The initial acquisition took place in 1978, and it has been expanded since then. The entrance is located in Nijlen, at Vaerestraat 4. The space is freely accessible daily from sunrise to sunset. There are two ponds in the area. These old wells not only provide a pleasant change of scenery but are also a boon for the many plants and animals. Since 1996, the Kesselse Heide has been a protected landscape. It is one of the few remaining remnants of the once vast Kempen heathlands. The heath is a living community created in our region by humans. Historical agricultural practices created a landscape that has been preserved through human intervention: grazing by sheep, burning the heath, and sod cutting. Sod cutting is the removal of the topsoil and vegetation. A dug-out sod of plants and their roots is a sod. If heathland is left untreated, it will evolve into oak and birch forests, and the typical species associated with a heathland habitat will disappear. In the mid-19th century, the Kesselse Heide—like many other parts of the Kempen region—was afforested with Scots pine, a valuable timber for mining. However, during both World Wars, these sod-covered forests were felled, and from then on, the heathland was able to expand again. Current management consists of removing trees and mechanically cutting sods to give the open heathland every chance to thrive. https://youtu.be/NoPf0HSeFz8

The Barvest is a restaurant and cafe located on the city walls. Since this section mainly features photos of the green belt that forms the city walls, which start and end here, here's some information. The city ramparts are a 5 km long green walk around the center of Lier. A section of the city ramparts is a protected landscape. The Lier city ramparts largely follow the route of the second city wall from the first half of the 15th century. At that time, the ramparts primarily served a military function, providing protection against enemy cannon fire and raids. But the ramparts also had an economic importance: import and export duties were collected at the city gates. In the 19th century, the ramparts no longer served a military purpose and were dismantled. The ramparts between the Spui and the city park (towards Mechelsepoort) were lowered and planted with trees. The section between the city park and the Spui (towards Leuvensepoort) followed later. These spacious walking paths, known as the Begijnenvest, Davidsvest, Bergmannvest, Spuivest, Sionsvest, and the towpath along the Leuvensevest, together with the city park, form the green lung of the city center. A section of the ramparts is a protected landscape. A regent's decree from 1949. Now you'll mainly find trees like linden, red and green beech, oak, whitebeam, but also special species like pagoda tree. There used to be many elm trees, but they disappeared due to a disease. You can also admire several statues. On Davidsvest, you can admire Cadetje, a statue that refers to the former cadet school on the opposite side. Near Frederik Peltzerstraat is the statue of Anton Bergmann (lawyer and man of letters). Canon J.B. David (historian and linguist) has had his statue near Antwerpsestraat since 1923. The Chapel of St. Rita, near Mechelsestraat, was erected in 1948 in memory of Lier's political prisoners. And more at https://lier.be/wonen-en-leven/natuur-milieu-en-duurzaamheid/recreatie/de-stadsvesten

Some orientation and explanation on an information board with, among others, "Het Goor", "het Hoogbos" and the "Hoge Heide" as parts of the Provincial Green Area Kesselse Heide.

The Kesselse Heide-Het Goor area consists of a variety of nutrient-poor meadows, pastures, marshes, and ponds, bordered and crisscrossed by enclosed landscape types, and contains numerous landscape elements. The area is characterized by a richly varied and sometimes rare flora. Several historic farm buildings can be found within the area. The Kesselse Heide-Het Goor area, with an area of approximately 2,620 hectares, is located between the villages of Nijlen and Kessel, north of the Lier-Herentals road. The northern border of this area is along Vogelzangstraat, the eastern border along Achterbist, Kannaertsstraat, and Goorstraat. The Grote Steenweg forms the southern border, and the western border is formed by Heidestraat and Vaerestraat. The landscape includes the following topographical areas: "Kannaerdsche Heyde," "Kesselse Heide," "Mol Heide," "Achterbiest," "Het Hoog Bosch," "De Hooge Heide," "Het Armveld," "De Schommers" or "Vissen Eynde," "Het Goor," "Het Goorkasteel," and "Hoge Heyde." Several streams traverse the area, specifically the Goorkantloop, the Elstbeek, the Paddenloop, Blauwe Hoekloop, and the Visbeek. The elevation within the area varies from approximately 5 meters +TAW to approximately 10 meters +TAW. Inventory of Immovable Heritage: Kesselse Heide-Het Goor, https://id.erfgoed.net/erfgoedobjecten/302886

Nice story about rivalry between local youth from surrounding villages