The double circle goes up to ten meters
“I like to say that this cycle route takes you safely to higher realms. literally because over 700 meters, you walk a double circle up to a height of ten meters between the treetops. You can see, feel and smell the splendor of nature."
" Like a squirrel, you climb with the trees and become one with the forest. This allows you to gradually observe the different stages of growth, each with its own unique characteristics. If you listen carefully, you may even hear special bird species that live at this height that you would otherwise never hear. It is a unique experience!".
Who explains this extraordinary sensation to us is Igor Philtjens, spokesman for Limburg Tourism, the Belgian province that has just inaugurated this spectacular double cycling ring that is added to another unique route: which runs in the water.
“In Bokrijk, between the bicycle junctions 91 and 243, in the extensive landscape of the De Wijers lake, you can cycle through the water. Though no need to wear wellies or a wetsuit, because luckily you stay on solid ground.
Pedal in the water without getting wet
"The bike path takes you across one shore of the lake to the other. It's over 200 meters long and three meters wide, and at one point, pedal with the surface of the water at eye level on both sides, which makes it possible to meet the swans. It's a really beautiful sight!” continues Philtjens.
The reason why picturesque Limburg has these two special routes, to which next summer it will be joined by another in the Hoge Kempen National Park, is related to the long cycling tradition of the region, which 25 years ago was the first in the world to develop a cycle path that connected the entire area. But when other places began to create similar routes, they found it necessary to continue innovating to remain the preferred destination for two-wheeled tourism.
The inspiration was taken from the ** Scenic Routes of Norway **, which are done by car. “Its natural wonders are amplified by art, design and architecture, with the aim of bringing you closer to nature in new and surprising ways. In this project, they carried out interventions in certain landscapes, to ensure that visitors could enjoy the landscape even more, without damaging or devaluing it Philtjens remembers.
“All of this led me to the idea of creating bike paths through the water, through the trees and through the bushes at strategic locations in Limburg. We talk about areas that are already iconic, but where we still had the potential to increase the interaction between cyclists and nature”, Philtjens tells us.
A unique experience
It refers to the aforementioned Hoge Kempen, which will have in June a 300-meter bridge that will connect the two parts of the National Park , with impressive views over the enclave, but also to the areas of Bosland and Bokrijk, interesting in themselves.
So the first is the largest adventure forest in Flanders, where “children rule”, according to the spokesman. “There are exciting treasure hunts and gymkhanas, adventure play areas, etc. In addition, it also has a wide variety of quality trails for hikers, cyclists, mountain bikers and horseback riders."
Bokrijk, meanwhile, is another large wooded area that also has the largest open-air museum in Belgium . There, more than a hundred authentic buildings paint “a poignant picture of life in the Flemish countryside of yesteryear”, in the words of Philtjens, with craft workshops.
There is also the possibility of visiting the Arboretum, playing outdoors in the large children's park and, of course, walking or cycling through its 550 hectares, enjoyed by both locals and international tourists of all profiles, as each of Limburg's routes is fully accessible and perfect for all levels.
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