Tessenderlo, Oostham and Kwaadmechelen

In the Gerheserheide nature reserve you will find sandy soils with pine forests that are intersected by sandy roads. The'Schans van Gerhees\\\' is also located here. This fort was built in the 17th century by the local population as a kind of earthen fort where they could'hide' themselves to avoid plundering armies and bands of robbers. After so many centuries, the fort now looks like an ordinary, wooded inland dune, but if you look closely, you will discover the remains of the earthen walls and moats. Another nature reserve near Oostham is'De Rammelaars\\\' and is named after the many hares and rabbits that live there. In the past, there was plenty of small-scale agriculture such as: haymaking, irrigation, peat cutting, iron ore mining, wood cutting. Now we enjoy many biotopes and vegetation types. The oldest tower in Belgium is part of the Church of Our Lady of the Nativity in Oostham. The lower part dates from the 10th century. A guided tour is possible. From the free parking of cafe-brasserie De Bosrand you can immediately get on the pedals. When you return, the sun terrace looks very inviting to have a nice drink with a snack. From this cozy establishment, cycling route 138559 also starts. So that you have enough choice to explore the area well.