Along old oak trees in Dijleland

This route takes you through the Dijleland, the idyllic region near Leuven. You drive through a gently rolling landscape that is dotted with fields, meadows, sunken roads and forests. You will visit charming villages such as Oud-Heverlee, Huldenberg and Bertem. Take the time to relax on a terrace or order the local delicacy in Bertem, a Veronneke. This pastry is a real treat for the tongue. The crispy puff pastry envelops a soft filling of pastry cream and fruit, elegantly finished with meringue. The Veronneke is available with an apple, apricot or cherry filling. During the route you cycle through the Meerdaalwoud, which, together with the Heverleebos and Egenhovenbos, forms the largest mixed deciduous forest in Flanders. Nowhere else in Flanders will you see so many old oak trees with a circumference thicker than 250 centimeters: there are more than a thousand of them, a beautiful sight. You will also find dry heath, hornbeams, brackens, alders and ash trees here. The oldest deer population in Flanders lives in this nature reserve. The animals have increased in numbers so much that they can now also be found in the surrounding valleys, especially around dusk you have a good chance of seeing them. You will also pass through the Sonian Forest, the green lung of nearby Brussels. No less than eighty percent of the total area (5,000 hectares!) consists of stately beech trees. The Sonian Forest has a rich fauna and flora, so you have a varied view. Near the village of Overijse you drive past a centuries-old water mill, built before 1300. The current building dates from 1904. The village itself, grown on the banks of the IJse, is known for its greenhouse grapes. If you want to learn more about this labor-intensive cultivation, visit the Grape Museum. The route starts and ends on the edge of Valbeek.