The nature of Herselt

De Hertberg is a nature reserve in the Belgian province of Antwerp. With its stately forests and long avenues, the Hertberg is ideal for a beautiful walk. This walking route takes you through part of the forest and through surrounding meadows and arable lands.

The Hertberg is part of the old Merode area that extends across the Belgian provinces of Antwerp, Flemish Brabant and Limburg. The forests and lands were owned by the De Merode princes for centuries. Nowadays you can also enjoy the ancient natural beauty here as a hiker.

While large areas of heathland grew on the Kempen sandy soils until the twentieth century, the Hertberg has been completely forested since the eighteenth century, mainly with coniferous wood. This makes the Herberg a unique forest in Flanders. You still see a lot of coniferous wood, but also beech, birch and oak. Species such as bilberry and hawkweed grow along forest edges and in bright places.