The old Belgian mining region: surprisingly green

Discover the unique region around the Belgian municipality of Heusden-Zolder. Here, mining once dominated daily life. The Heusden-Zolder mine spoil tip is visible proof of this. This mountain of waste stone towers 85 metres into the sky. At the top, a wide view and the numerous queen pages compete for your attention. The former black gold has been forged into a green diamond in recent years. A beautiful and precious nature reserve has been created around this spoil tip, covering an area of 124 hectares. Various rare birds cross the airspace, such as the kingfisher and the nightjar.

You drive through the Koerselse Heide and pass the Chapel of Our Lady at the Stake, a place of pilgrimage. According to tradition, a man got lost in this nature reserve in 1826. Because he had nothing left to drink and was in danger of dying, he called upon the Holy Mary. And behold, a spring with healing water sprang up. In gratitude, the man placed a stake with a statue of Mary there. A chapel was also built, the choir of which dates from 1833. There is also an eighteenth-century Trinity painting. The spring still exists, although the water now comes from a tap.

Just past Helchteren you cycle past Kasteel Ter Dolen, a sixteenth century domain. After the abbots of Sint-Truiden left this castle, the current owners opened the castle gate that had been closed for centuries. That is how the success story of their abbey beers began. Ter Dolen Donker has been voted the second best Belgian dark abbey beer and even the best in Flanders. So it is worth getting off for a beer or to view the castle!

You climb to the top of the approximately sixty-metre high Bolderberg. The Bolderberg is located in a beautiful nature reserve and is covered with a layer of iron sand, boulders and forests. A large part of the hill belongs to Kasteel Vogelsanck. At the foot of the slope are the ponds of Terlaemen, which belong to Kasteel Terlaemen. At the bottom of the steeply sloping hill you will find areas with wet heathland and raised bog. Along the bank of the Albert Canal you drive back to the starting point of the route.