12
riders
Vrieselhof Castle – Fort Oelegem loop from Wijnegem
02:47
48.5km
70m
Mountain biking
Hard mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary. Some portions of the route may require you to push your bike. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.
Last updated: June 28, 2026
Tips
Includes a segment in which cycling is not permitted
After 31.1 km for 84 m
Waypoints
Start point
Bus stop
Get Directions
839 m
Wooden bridge over the stream
Highlight • Bridge
Translated by Google •
Tip by
11.7 km
Vrieselhof Castle
Highlight • Castle
During the Eighty Years' War (16th -17th century), the inhabitants of Oelegem took shelter in the castle several times. From 1509, members of the van Halmale family owned the domain. The last descendant, Alfons-Ignace van Halmale, died childless in 1788. After that, the castle domain came into the hands of Charles-Ignace d'Oultremont and his wife Anne-Henriette de Neuf. The latter still had ties to the van Halmale family: her grandmother was Barbara Anna Philippa van Halmale (daughter of Alexander Jozef van Halmale, who was also mayor of Antwerp). For the new heirs, the castle was a country residence where they rarely stayed.
Restoration works were carried out on the castle in the 19th century. The nearby coach house with storage dates from 1877. In 1910 Count Louis de Brouckhoven de Berkeyck became the owner of the whole. He had the old castle rebuilt in Neo-Flemish-Renaissance style with stepped gables, brick layers and corner towers, but after the outbreak of the First World War, the Belgian troops burned the castle down for strategic reasons on October 7, 1914. Between 1917 and 1919, the current castle was burned down. rebuilt in the same style as the recently built ruined castle. In 1974 the castle and the accompanying domain were sold to the province of Antwerp by the grandchildren of Louis de Brouckhoven de Berkeyck.
Source : Wikipedia
Translated by Google •
Tip by
12.9 km
Fort Oelegem
Highlight • Historical Site
During World War II, the German Wehrmacht used the fort as a storage facility. After the liberation, it served the US Army as an anti-aircraft defense center against V1 rockets.
In 1947, the fort's military use finally ended, and it became private property.
Today, it is home to approximately 1,300 bats. On certain days and by appointment, you can visit it as part of a guided tour.
Translated by Google •
Tip by
14.1 km
Singletrack Through the Heathlands
Highlight • Trail
Translated by Google •
Tip by
18.5 km
Mussenbaan Forest Path
Highlight (Segment) • Trail
Translated by Google •
Tip by
21.3 km
Forest Path
Highlight (Segment) • Trail
Translated by Google •
Tip by
28.0 km
Pidpabos
Forest
32.1 km
Endurance Bridge Crossing
Highlight • Bridge
38.7 km
Gravel Path Along the Antitankgracht
Highlight • Trail
Translated by Google •
Tip by
48.5 km
End point
Bus stop
Way Types & Surfaces
Way Types
17.0 km
11.0 km
8.23 km
6.68 km
5.62 km
< 100 m
Surfaces
20.5 km
11.6 km
7.08 km
5.72 km
2.95 km
671 m
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Elevation
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Weather
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Tuesday 25 August
26°C
13°C
-- %
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Our route recommendations are based on thousands of hikes, rides, and runs completed by other people on komoot.
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