Terhills & Oud-Rekem

Terhills & Oud-Rekem

This gently sloping loop starts and finishes at Camping Kikmolen, at cycle junction 61, and reveals the Hoge Kempen National Park from its most surprising side. The landscape was once shaped by mining and gravel extraction, but today it has developed into a diverse mix of forests, bodies of water, and expansive heathland.

From Kikmolen, you cycle towards the impressive landscape of Terhills, where industrial heritage and nature come together in a remarkable panorama. Here, you'll experience Cycling between the Mine Terrils, the iconic floating cycle bridge that crosses the water between two terrils. It's a moment that feels almost unreal, with still water, vast skies, and the terrils rising around you.

The route then leads you to the Mechelse Heide, where the 'Fietsen door de Heide' (Cycling through the Heath) experience route opens up beautiful vistas. You'll cycle from rugged pine forests to open heathlands. In late summer, the purple bloom makes the experience even more magical. Further on, former gravel pits create lovely water features around the Kikbeek valley, providing another refreshing change in the landscape.

You cycle further through shaded woodland strips towards Oud-Rekem, a photogenic village that was once voted one of the most beautiful villages in Flanders. It's the perfect spot for a short break, a photo, or a drink. Finally, you follow the quiet towpaths of the Zuid-Willemsvaart canal back towards the familiar mining landscape, before arriving back at Camping Kikmolen and completing this unforgettable loop where you started.