Hasselt by bike: discovering history
In 1995, the Cycle Route Network in the Belgian province of Limburg was inaugurated, and with that, the region did not only win a good healthy way of movement. It also won an attractive tourist route. Follow us on a quick and surprising tour along that route, in the outskirts of the province’s capital city Hasselt.
Using your bike and enjoy. That is what you have to do for watching the entire Cycle Route Network. But, don’t give up. There are a lot of routes in which you can see the most part of the way by cycling “only” twenty kilometres. In our case, we are going to follow the way in the “route 95” in where we will be able to discover green meadows, autumn colours and unparalleled views.
Starting the route, knowing its history
We start the route, and along the image, the path is narrow. However this narrow route; electric bikes, cycling amateurs and people who want to enjoy the landscape, go over it. So never get neglected or you will fall to the ground!.
As the tour starts, we have in our right side the Albert canal . It was built between 1930 and 1939, and was officially inaugurated 30 of July of 1939 –just before the second World War-. In fact, it was used as a defensive line during that war.
This canal connects two important cities of Belgium: Liege and Antwerp. Due to the diference of altitude, the canal needed locks, and we can find it Genk Diepenbeek, Hasselt, Kwaadmechelen, Olen and Wijnegem.
At the left side, we enjoy the green landscape and old buildings with important history in Hasselt. Is the case of the old Gelatine company, or the biggest prison in Belgium –beautiful landscape for the prisoners-, but be careful because, inside, now there are dangerous jihadists people.
Just behind the prison it is the oldest newspaper in Limburg, the Het Belang van Limburg, founded in 1933.
The route continues, we begin to cross bridges
As we continue the route, we cross several bridges. The first thing that calls our attention is the height of them. Shorter than usually. It was not a problem years ago, because ships weren’t as high as are today, furthermore, they were drawn by horses. But now, it is necessary to make them higher if the canal wants to keep the importance that they have (it is transported each year 40 tons). So the government is starting to change them and make them higher. In fact, they have already changed one.
Once we cross the bridge, we get into the green way, and we get to Herckenrode Abbey. This abbey was founded in 1182 and belongs to Cistercian nuns. Sadly, we couldn’t get in because it was Monday and that day is closed, but if you go the rest of the week you will be able to get in and watch the museum. The nature that we can find around this old place will get us without breath: green valley everywhere. In fact, from this place, we can start a lot of routes that will lead us around all the fields of Hasselt.
Be careful when you start to get into the fields! You can get lost easily, there are a lot of different routes, and with that, a lot of different ways to follow. Do not lost the correct one!
Into the fields
After watching the Herckenrode Abbey, we get into the fields and the “rural” part of the trip starts. No buildings, no constructions. Just vegetation.
And in this vegetation it is important to mention the Limburg Lavendel. This place stained a pink colour in the forest. We are talking about a 10 acre plantation of lavender. If you are lucky, and you do the route in a sunny day –just like I did-, the colour that you will see and the fragrance that you will smell, will relax you.
Other place that must be mentioned is De Wijers, a natural reserve with a big lake and a lot of animals. If you have been in Spain, in Teruel, it will remind you to the lake “laguna negra”.
De Wijers is a good place to rest of your trip, have a snack and just lie down in the grass watching the time pass.
And for get to the “come back” way, we will go through a deep forest place. I was lucky because in the day that I did that, it was a sunny day, like I said before, but not only that. It was the typical autumn day, with the brown leaves on the floor, that made of the way, the best way that I’ve ever seen.
Going home, it hasn’t finished
We start our back route, and we go just in the opposite side of the Alberto canal, that we were before; but don’t get sad we haven’t finished yet.
We go, again in the Alberto canal watching the sightseen while we are crossing the last bridge, just with the sun in our face, just an awesome sightseen. A day that you will never forget.
Helpful tools
Where rent a bike in Hasselt:
Where stay at night in Hasselt: (You can find all the offers by clicking here)
Het Zummerheem (90 euros night)
Holiday Inn Express Hasselt (118 euros night)
Yup Hotel — Different Hotels (84 euros night)
