Beautiful Hageland
Open landscapes, historical farmhouses and gorgeous panoramas are the highlights of our beautiful Hageland.
Walking
A special walking trail network has been marked out in the valley of the Gete River. This trail network consists of more than 250 km of carefully chosen routes laid out over tranquil, unpaved pathways. In 2016, this network was voted the best walking facility in Belgium.
You can order a walking trail map from www.toerismevlaamsbrabant.be or you can use the one in the holiday studio.
The Gete Valley walking trail network is located in the eastern part of Hageland.
Here, you will also find endless fields and pastures edged with poplars and a rich variety of fruit trees and shrubs. In the spring, these orchards adorn the region with a breathtaking riot of blossoms, and in the autumn, they offer up an abundance of apples and pears. The Gete River forms the geographic border with the Haspengouw region.
The Gete Valley is a beautiful, green ribbon with immense natural value. Higher up along its banks lie picturesque villages, each wrapped around its own church steeple.
In this valley, peace and quiet prevail, but that has not always been the case. In the past, it served as a border where counts and dukes have been known to come to battle. And during the first days of World War I, the area was the site of heavy fighting.
250 km of walking trails...
In total, the entire network contains 250 km of walking trails which intersect each other at 170 junctions. Map out your own journey, and make it as long or as short as you like. More explanation of the sights of special interest along your way can be found in the guidebook in your holiday home.
Arontshoek trail
Depart from the Sint-Pauluskerk for a trek along the historically significant sites in the villages of Geetbets and Rummen, such as the Terlenen Castle and the Motte - an elevated moat which is the birthplace of Geetbets.
Municipality: Geetbets - Villages: Grazen, Rummen - Distance: 9 km
Bokkerijderspad trail
A short walk through the smallest village surrounding Geetbets - Grazen. The Abdij van Oriënten dates back to the thirteenth century, and to reach it you pass along handsome farmhouses like the Vinckenbosch Domain. The beautiful, listed Grazenmolen was built in the eighteenth century.
Municipality: Geetbets - Villages: Grazen - Distance: 9 km
Grootveld trail
Discover the breathtaking countryside between Geetbets and the tiny hamlet of Hogen, which is situated at the highest point in the municipality. On this trail, you pass along several striking chapels such as the Onze Lieve Vrouw-van-Bijstand Chapel and the Antoniuskapel on the centuries-old Roman road, the Heirbaan.
Municipality: Geetbets - Distance: 8 km
Sint-Rochus trail
A vigorous walk through an expansive landscape containing numerous sights of special interest. The castle of Geetbets in the middle of the green fields and the centuries-old Monnikenhof van Vlierbeek – which dates back to 1433 - are certainly among the highlights.
Municipality: Geetbets - Distance: 9 km
Oude Tramroute trail
Walk right through the history of Rummen. Admire the old presbytery, built in 1630, and the lovely ruins of a windmill in the hamlet of Bergeneinde. Along the Persoonstraat, you follow the route of the long-dismantled tram line which once connected Sint-Truiden with Herk-de-Stad.
Municipality: Geetbets - Villages: Rummen - Distance: 6 km
And, of course, there is so much more...
Schulensmeer and Schulensbroek
In this nature reserve and bird paradise, you can walk through an expansive, wet grassland which is home to a great variety of plants and animals. From the look-out platform at the Schulensmeer Visitor Centre, you have an excellent view of the birds in their natural habitat. Several walking trails depart from there.
The Vinne – Zoutleeuw Provincial Domain
Visit Flanders’ largest inland lake, walk the 5 signposted trails through this unique reed-filled landscape, and discover the diverse fauna and flora here. What's more, there are numerous other activities available in and around this recreational domain. For instance, a 'follow your senses' path (zintuigenbeleefpad in Dutch) and an herb garden.
The Halve Maan Provincial Domain – Diest
Between Demer and Diest, nestled in the swells of Hageland, lies the Halve Maan Provincial Domain. The park gets its name from the ‘lunette’, a part of the nineteenth-century defensive perimeter surrounding the city. The former sentry post has been transformed into a lively recreational domain where sports and games, activity and rest, and past and present come to the fore.
Duizendjarige Eik Domain
Duizendjarige Eik (thousand-year oak in Dutch) is not only the oldest monument in Lummen, it may also be the oldest 'gerechtsboom' in the country. (A 'gerechtsboom' is a tree planted to mark the site of a tribunal or court of justice, whose use dates back to before the end of the eighteenth century.) Under this tree, justice was served, although it was also the site of celebrations as well as war. The tree has even been set on fire twice in its history…Enjoy the tranquilly here and let yourself be inspired by this mysterious spot.
Slag der Zilveren Helmen Museum
The Battle of the Silver Helmets Museum is a museum in the hamlet of Rotem in Halen. This museum houses articles related to the Battle of the Silver Helmets which took place in 1914. Here, weapons, uniforms, photos, paintings and other objects which preserve the memory of this battle are displayed.