The best traffic-free bike rides around Lanaken

The bicycle bridge consists of 6 bridge sections, which together contain more than 500 tons of steel. The largest bridge section is 44 meters long and weighs 130 tons. The complete bicycle bridge is 200 meters long and 6 meters wide. You cycle or walk 10 meters above the water surface.

Between Diepenbeek and Hasselt, the F70 cycle highway, also known as the Demerroute, runs along the bank of the Demer river. This cycle highway, which is under construction, connects Hasselt with Bilzen. When completed, the route will be 21 km long. It is already largely passable, but diversions are currently in place in a few locations.

The Maas forms the border between the Netherlands and Belgium for a distance of forty kilometers. Here the river has free rein and can be quite wild. A maze of old riverbeds, banks, rapids, and gravel banks creates a wild, untouched landscape. And where there is water, there is life! Konik horses and Galloway cattle graze on the banks, while rare butterflies flutter by. This cross-border nature reserve is a paradise for hikers with over 200 kilometers of trails. There is also an extensive network of cycle paths! Discover not only the natural beauty but also the idyllic villages along the Maas and cross the river via a bridge or ferry. These large herbivores play a crucial role in managing the natural environment. Together, they create a diverse landscape. In winter, the cattle graze on trees and shrubs, while the Konik horses feast on the shorter grass and the best herbs. This unique combination prevents the area from being overgrown by pastures and creates a dynamic mosaic of open meadows, rough scrub, and forests. This keeps nature constantly in motion! The Maas is a rain-fed river, which means that the hiking trails in RivierPark Maasvallei sometimes experience floods during periods of heavy rainfall. This can affect the accessibility of the trails.

Station As is a former railway station on lines 21A (Hasselt-As) and 21B (As-Eisden). The station building now houses a restaurant and the Kolenspoorvereniging (Coal Railway Association) uses it for the operation of the tourist railway line Waterschei-As-Eisden. Station As is also one of the gateways to Hoge Kempen National Park and has an observation tower.

This section, together with the water lock and the outer bailey, belongs to the oldest parts: in the Apostles' House, remains of the late Gothic ordinance from the second half of the 16th century from the building campaign of Land Commander Wijnandt van Brijel have been preserved. The complex is located at the highest point of the domain, on the eastern side of the commandery. Seven avenues converge at the gate, symbolizing the Seven Sorrows and Joys of Mary. To the right of the gatehouse was the now disappeared Apostles' House; it was an L-shaped building of two storeys, with a chapel on the ground floor, and twelve rooms for needy men, hence the name Apostles' House; late Gothic core from the second half of the 16th century, enlarged and adapted in 1716-1726, under Commander Damian Hugo von Schönborn, as indicated by a facade stone. After World War II, the Apostles' House slowly deteriorated but has since been restored.

Beautiful view over the water

On the site where a lordly manor stood in the Middle Ages, the castle of Hardelingen was built in the 19th century. The site had continuous habitation from an early date and was closely linked for centuries to agricultural exploitation in the fertile valley of the Werm. As a lordly manor, the domain functioned not only as a residence but also as an economic center that managed and structured the surrounding land within the traditional Haspengouw agricultural landscape. Today, the castle of Hardelingen, located in the quiet village of Werm, represents a valuable example of the transformation of a medieval lordly manor into a stately 19th-century country residence. The castle and its surrounding park landscape strikingly illustrate the neoclassical ideals of order, harmony, and scenic beauty, thus occupying a special place within the heritage of Haspengouw. Want to know more about the past? Click through to https://www.burchten-kastelen.be/provincies/limburg/042%20Kasteel%20van%20Hardelingen/Kasteel%20van%20Hardelingen.html

Very nice path along the Maas and very good to ride.