Stairs with the Trappists and Trappistines

The monks of the abbeys in Westmalle and Brecht are busy little bees. In the Abbey of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart of Westmalle, the monks pray, study and work surrounded by more than a hundred dairy cows, a cheese dairy and a brewery. You can't visit the abbey, but don't worry, the porter will sell you the tasty cheese with a smile on working days.

On the other side of the Steenweg, Café Trappisten serves the world-famous Westmalse Dubbel and Tripel. A good start - or perhaps a better end - to your journey! In Brecht, the sisters in the neo-Romanesque Abbey of Our Lady of Nazareth have been manufacturing soap products using traditional methods for several decades. In the small abbey shop you can buy natural soaps, bath foam and floor soap with the appropriate name Trapp.

Another historic spot where you can browse around is Domein de Renesse in Oostmalle, with its English garden and remarkable exotic trees. The beautiful 16th century castle once hosted Emperor Charles and William of Orange - you are following in famous footsteps here. Smaller, but no less attractive, is the lime pavilion in Zoersel. A multimedia show and a work of art, made from the old 'village lime tree', tell the story of the importance of this tree for the local village fabric.

This is a signposted cycle route that you can recognize on location by the hexagonal signs. Would you like to know more about the background of this region before you explore this route yourself? Then take a look at the inspiration page about De Kempen.

Copyright photos: Mie De Backer