Dender region

This ride takes you through the beautiful region between Herzele, Denderleeuw and Aalst and takes you through small villages and over rolling hills.

Herzele was founded around a castle from the seventh century. The castle became the subject of a turbulent history and was eventually reduced to ashes by the Spanish in 1579. Now you can only admire the ruins from 1579. That does not mean that there is nothing to see in Herzele: you will also find a neo-Gothic village church, a beautiful chapel, three mills and the Du Parc-Locmaria castle.

Between Okegem and Aalst you drive along the banks of the Dender. The Dender is not tidal water: it is cut off from the Scheldt by a time lock.

Aalst is located in the Dender region with its many cycling routes, the catchment area of the Dender river. The city is surrounded by hills. There are many monuments to admire. The Schepenhuis with the 15th-century belfry - in the Aalst dialect 'den tettentoeren' - is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Aalst is most famous for its annual carnival and its carnivalesque feuds with the city of Dendermonde. The city is also famous for the prosperity it owed to hop cultivation.