Around Kasterlee and Retie

This tour takes you through the watery and sometimes swampy polders of the Antwerp Kempen. The name of this region is derived from the Latin Campinia or Campina, which means 'open space'. The characteristic of this region is the sandy soil, which means that until around 1860 the Kempen was mainly covered with heath, oak forest, fens and peat areas. One of the beautiful areas you cycle through is the Tikkebroeken nature reserve, a characteristic Kempen moor that has a great diversity. Here you will see alder forest, wet and dry heath, grazing meadows and fields. During heavy rains, the Red Loop traditionally floods the surrounding valley. At the beginning of the twentieth century, peat was still extracted in the Tikkebroeken and transported across the Rode Loop by flat barge. The current mosaic landscape is rich in flora and fauna. Retie is the village of the seven Nets: small streams that feed the Kleine Nete river. The name Nete is said to be of Celtic origin, meaning smoke or vapour. Among older cycling enthusiasts, Retie may be known for a tragedy. In 1971, the cycling race De Grote Jaarmarktprijs was organized here. One of the participants was the professional cyclist Jean-Pierre Monseré, the then world road champion. He rode in preparation for the Milan - San Remo classic. During the journey he collided head-on with a car standing along the road and died on the spot from a blow to the neck. Just before the end of the route you cross the Kleine Nete again. On the right you see the Waterwheel Mill. This flour mill was first mentioned in a charter from 1248. In 1583, during the Eighty Years' War, the original wooden water wheel mill was set on fire. Ten years later it was rebuilt in stone. The last renovation dates from 1921.