Herentals, Lichtaart and Vorselaar

This route takes you through the beautiful Kleine Nete valley. Along this small river lie a few former floodplains, home to the rare fauna and flora of wetlands. The floodplain system is an old agricultural technique, in which hay meadows along rivers were regularly irrigated with fertilizing river water. This irrigation resulted in a higher hay yield. In the second half of the last century, the Kleine Nete valley was canalized, and the connection between the river and the hay meadows was severed. This made it very difficult for numerous plants and animals to survive in the Kleine Nete valley. Nature management is now trying to restore these rare plant and animal species, and they are succeeding quite well. You'll find plants that thrive in very wet places along small rivers, such as common thistle and tall speedwell. In the "'t Zomerklokje" sub-area, the rare plant of the same name, which resembles a snowdrop, even grows. The Nete valley is also home to waterfowl such as the common teal and the grey heron. The starting point of your route is the town of Herenthals. Herentals is the 'historical capital of the Kempen region,' thanks to its rich history of over 800 years and a wealth of ancient monuments. Long ago, 'cycling emperor' Rik Van Looy, with his more than 500 victories, made Herentals famous. It's a vibrant city with a bustling city center and numerous charming restaurants and cafes that ensure you'll never be bored. A perfect spot for a cup of coffee before starting the day! This route not only takes you through nature, but also through the cultural highlights. In Vorselaar, you'll find a moated castle called the Borrekens, built around 1270 by the Knights of Rotselaar using white sandstone from Vilvoorde. Later, it was surrounded by stone ramparts. After a beautiful rural route through, among other things, the Goorkes nature reserve, you will eventually cycle along the Bocholt-Herenthals canal back to the starting point.