The Kruierroute from Balen

In the municipality of Balen you can admire the unique Kempen landscape in its full beauty and this every season of the year. Many of the tourist treasures are safely hidden in unique pieces of quiet nature.

The name of this route comes from the nickname used for the inhabitants of Balen: the 'Balense kerk porters'... a legend tells us that the church of Balen was first located in Scheps and that it was later transported by wheelbarrow to the current centre.

The cycle route starts from the leisure centre De Kruierie, where the tourist office is also located. Via the cycle junctions you leave the centre of Balen and cycle towards the Keiheuvel recreation area. The Keiheuvel consists of drifting sand dunes, heathland and forests. Then you cross the bridge from the film 'Groe(n)ten uit Balen' and cycle along the canal to Beverlo in a beautiful natural setting. You cycle further through the nature reserves de Most and de Vennen, where you will find meadows, hayfields and swamp forests. This is how you reach the sub-municipality of Olmen, with the Olmense Zoo as a major attraction. Then we come across the Straalmolen at the confluence of the Grote Neet and the Heiloop. You reach the Dessel-Kwaadmechelen canal and after a nice stretch of cycling along this canal you finally return to the starting point over the bridge.