Top 15 Lakes around Orp-Jauche

Meldertbos is actually more than a forest; it's a nature reserve consisting of forest, including wet areas (with the Mene), open spaces with hay meadows, ponds, and here and there remnants of the former castle garden. Even in early spring, you immediately notice that this could be an ideal place to find orchids. And it is, as you can read on the Natuurpunt website. Among the inhabitants, we find the grass snake. The scarlet elf cup can also be found here. From some of the diverse boardwalks, be sure to also look at the faded glory of the castle, including remnants of the swimming pool and even the changing room. This entire area is actually what the people from the Inventory of Immovable Heritage call a "sleeping garden". But sleeping doesn't mean dead. And as you can read on an information board from Natuurpunt: "Park awakens after 60 years of sleep". Be sure to combine it with the immediate surroundings of the castle, preferably outside of school days. There are more than enough remarkable trees. For those interested in garden architecture, there is also history to be found here. About Meldertbos at Natuurpunt: https://www.natuurpunt.be/natuurgebieden/meldertbos About the forest and the domain (with garden history and list of remarkable trees): https://inventaris.onroerenderfgoed.be/erfgoedobjecten/134188

The description is very accurate. Thank you.

In the midst of the large-scale cultural landscape, this area is one of the last refuges for wild animals and plants in Landen. Small willow groves spontaneously developed between the ponds, where woodpeckers and golden orioles, among others, make their nests. The relatively pure groundwater in the ponds makes a very varied aquatic life possible, ranging from the large yellow-edged water beetle to dragonflies, fish and kingfishers. The pussy willows around the ponds are particularly striking. They grow quickly, but their branches break off easily. Because they do not contain any hard heartwood, birds such as the green and the great spotted woodpecker use them to carve out their nests. The branches that hang close to the water offer ideal resting or viewing places for wild ducks and blue herons. They are especially vital for the kingfisher. Sitting on a lookout post, it hunts for rudd, sticklebacks and other aquatic animals in the water. In early summer, white foam drops sometimes fall from the pussy willows: cuckoo spit. It comes from the larvae of the foam cicada, which produce foam and hide in it. Many other insects live on the pussy willows. They are eagerly eaten by insectivorous birds such as the chiffchaff, the willow warbler and the spotted flycatcher. The bankside vegetation with bulrush, hairy willowherb and marsh sedge offers nesting opportunities for the moorhen and the coot. In summer, many dragonflies and damselflies float above and around the ponds, the most striking of which is the large emperor dragonfly. Swallows hunt for mosquitoes above the ponds. This is therefore the ideal place for a hobby to catch both a swallow and a large dragonfly. In addition to the various types of grass, you will find plants here that feel at home in a dry, calcareous environment. Striking features include the box pod, the cinquefoil and the wild marjoram. Here you can observe numerous species of butterflies in the summer. From the piled-up area you have a good view of the reed field, the breeding area of the reed warbler, the sedge warbler, the reed bunting and many other marsh birds. Wood edges screen the hayfield and the berry or nut-bearing shrubs offer shelter and food to birds such as the garden warbler, chiffchaff and jay. On the darkest parts you can sometimes find glowworms in the evening. Source: https://www.natuurpunt.be/natuurgebieden/beemden-landen

Always very pleasant to walk/run in this beautiful park

You better be quick because in the meantime, in the context of a land consolidation, almost all the nice roads are being paved 😢. You can still respond to the Omgevingsloket from January 22 to February 20, 2025.

The walk is actually the signposted Mene-Jordaan walk. It is better to park the car at the Sint-Ermelindis church. Then walk 200 m to end up in the corner of the forest to the castle. And then back to follow the Mene-Jordaan.

The nature reserve "de Beemden" is approximately 6.5 ha in size, the ideal place to get some fresh air in Landen. The area is situated in the valley of the Molenbeek and the Zeyp and is accessible to hikers all year round. The reserve is owned by the city of Landen. Around the 1960s, seven ponds were dug out in a series of hay meadows with the intention of turning them into fish ponds. Although the ponds are actually artificial, they add significant value to the area. You will find a variety of water inhabitants (both plants and animals) here. You can fish there in peace and the children can enjoy themselves in the beautiful play landscape. In a widened part of the Molenbeek you will find a fantastic water playground with locks, an Archimedes screw and water wheels. Would you rather cross your stream? Take the monkey bridge, the stepping stones or the stilt path to get to the other side. On the bank you can relax on the small sandy beach. Attenhovenstraat, Landen, Belgium

De Beemden in Landen is a beautiful nature reserve with grasslands, flowery meadows and winding waters that offer a home to numerous bird species. This open and green landscape invites for quiet walks along the damp grasslands and small pools, which are full of wild flowers in the spring.