Volsbergenpad

This beautiful walk through part of the Belgian Kempen goes through a surprising landscape. The idyllic De Grote Nete stream, heath fields and sand drifts are the main ingredients for this wonderful trip.

You start the walk in the hamlet of Hulsen in Balen. The houses are mainly located around the central Sint-Hubertus church. The church itself is beautiful, definitely worth a visit are the wooden statues in the church. 

From Hulsen you walk on the north side of the hamlet through the Volsbergenbossen. This unique piece of nature is part of the inland dune landscape of Balen. Inland dunes are sandy hills that were created after the last ice age, by the blowing of sand from the rivers. This landscape is closely linked to the valley of the Nete; a specific landscape of high, dry inland dunes and low, wet stream valleys. The inland dunes are protected by Europe because they are home to a specific world of plants and animals.

In the tiny hamlet of Lil you pass the Sint-Elisabeth chapel, a memorial church with a rich history. According to folklore it is a former chapel of lepers. The chapel was founded at the end of the 16th century. On September 12, 1797, the French army had suffered a heavy defeat in the Boer War.

A picturesque stream surprises you behind every bend. On one side of the Grote Nete, the meadows provide the green color and the landscaped ponds give the landscape an idyllic touch. On the other side you can see the higher fields of the Zavelsveld and the Lilsveld. This way you slowly walk back towards Hulsen and turn back to the starting point just before the built-up area. The valley of the Grote Nete continues much further. If you feel like walking further, you can extend your walk further via the Kempense Landduinen walking route map.

If you also want to cycle a beautiful cycling route in the Balen area, choose cycling route  197807

For more information go to Bale Tourism