Wander through wastelands and vagabonds
Turnhout, Flanders, Belgium
Cycling route: 334733
Provided by: De Kempen
63.1 km
1113 kcal
36 m
Description
Natural beauty
Today the domains are a refuge for dozens of species of birds, bats and insects. Stately forest drives, open fields, fens, heathland and grasslands alternate. Both the landscapes and most of the buildings of the colonies are now protected. And the candidacy for the Unesco World Heritage List has already been submitted!
Urban heritage
You can also admire a lot of urban heritage on this route. The Gelmelslot (the former residence of the lords of Hoogstraten), the impressive St. Catherine's Church and the Begijnhof give Hoogstraten grandeur. In Turnhout you can visit the beautifully renovated Pleinbegijnhof - with Begijnhof Museum - and the Castle of the Dukes of Brabant. The route has many attractive picnic spots.
Bring history to life with an app
Before you leave, you can download the Colony app. This app brings the vagrants' story back to life through historical footage, testimonials, anecdotes and maps (available for free on Google Play and the App Store). In the course of 2017, a brand new visitor center with brasserie and bicycle rental will also open at Merksplas-Kolonie.
Height Profile
Just across the border from North Brabant you will find the Antwerpse Kempen. Enjoy forests, heaths, beautiful old sights such as beguinages and abbeys and charming towns and villages such as Turnhout, Lier and Malle. You can also let yourself be pampered culinary with the most delicious regional dishes
Start here your cycling route
You probably can't wait to start your tour, but you have to go to the starting point of the route first. Click the button below to plan your route to the starting point.
Turnhout
Veldekensweg2300 Turnhout
Station
2300 TurnhoutKlein Engelandhoeve
Dombergstraat 292300 Turnhout
You do not want to miss this
Below you will find various suggestions for breaks that you can visit during your route. These are divided into different categories, making it easy for you to choose.
Sights
Directions
| # | Description | Distance | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veldekensweg, 2300, Turnhout, Flanders, Belgium | 0.00 km | ||
13 | 13 (Langstraat, 2330, Merksplas, Flanders, Belgium) | 5.71 km | |
30 | 30 (2330, Merksplas, Flanders, Belgium) | 11.47 km | |
| Kolonie van Merksplas - Kapel - Gevangenismuseum (Kapel Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Hemelvaart, 2330, Merksplas, Flanders, Belgium) | 19.48 km | ||
34 | 34 (Zandweg, 2310, Rijkevorsel, Flanders, Belgium) | 21.18 km | |
29 | 29 (De Sluis, 2310, Rijkevorsel, Flanders, Belgium) | 27.20 km |
Place name directory
Reviews
Read the experiences of others below. This way you find out what score the route has received and you can decide whether this route is for you. Have fun!
