Enjoy beautiful Kasterlee

The pleasant Belgian municipality of Kasterlee in the Kempen is the starting point for this cycling tour. It is a lively and touristic town that was voted the most beautiful village in the province of Antwerp in 2008. Kasterlee is gently sloping because the Kempense Heuvelrug runs straight through the municipality. On the north it is bordered by the valleys of the Aa, the Rode Loop and the Kaliebeek and in the south by the Valley of the Kleine Nete. This gives the landscape a pleasant variety that you will certainly experience by bike.

The cycle route starts in Kasterlee, a place where you can enjoy excellent sporting recreation. This is where the Kabouterberg is located. In this play forest, obstacles are created using natural elements such as sand plains and exposed tree roots. The Kabouterberg is freely accessible from sunrise to sunset.

Within a kilometer after the start you will pass the still functioning water wheel mill in the Kleine Nete stream. You can also canoe on this lovely stream. The village of Ten Aard is located on the Bocholt-Herentals canal. It is one of the seven Kempen canals between the Maas and the Scheldt. Past Ten Aard you cycle past De Zegge. This is the oldest Belgian nature reserve. De Zegge consists of low peat swamp and heathland. Together with the adjacent nature reserves Mosselgoren and Neerhelst, it is one of the few places in Flanders where the grass snake still occurs. De Zegge is only accessible with a guide.

There is also good news for amusement park enthusiasts. You almost cycle along Bobbejaanland in Lichtaart. Wandering around all the attractions may not be on the agenda today. But who knows, on another day. Also particularly nice for a day trip is the De Hoge Rielen recreational area and nature reserve, which you pass west of Kasterlee. The extensive nature reserve offers extensive recreation programs for groups; from raft building and forest games to (forest) theater and theatre. On site you will find camping facilities, a hostel, a theater, sports hall, sports fields and swimming pond. It is clear that you can enjoy yourself for more than one day in Kasterlee.