Cycling from Leuven: Horstroute
Cycling from Leuven: the Hageland
Start
Start: Station Leuven
Our journey starts today at Leuven railway station, a stone's throw from the historic centre. There are numerous cultural gems lurking there, but we resist them for a while. First we set off, towards the expansive landscapes of the Hageland. This region borders Leuven to the east. Fertile ground for a cycling adventure.
An abbey, a castle
The route quickly takes us to provincial domain Kessel-Lo, a recreation park with playgrounds, ponds, an ecological centre and an outdoor swimming pool. Unfortunately we did not bring our swimming costumes. So we stick to cycling. A traffic-free path on the domain brings us to the first of many highlights: the Vlierbeek Abbey. A stately driveway, flanked by long rows of poplars, brings us to this former Benedictine abbey. Through the entrance gate on the right, we take a look at the site with the monumental sandstone abbey church, the abbey farm and the handsome classicist abbot’s building.
As soon as we leave the abbey grounds, we are introduced to another asset of the Hageland: the rolling landscape. An asphalt road meanders through the countryside. Here, the landscape feels a little like a rollercoaster: up and down, up and down. As we take a breather for a moment on a downhill stretch of asphalt, we ride on towards Horst Castle. This moated fortress was built in the 13th century; its characteristic square keep followed two centuries later. Around this historical core lies a beautiful castle domain, ideal for long walks.
Twice liquid gold
But we do not have time for that today. We want to explore the lovely undulating Hageland even more. And so, we cycle slowly on towards the Beninksberg, the last significant climb of the day. A little later we stop at the Hageland Wine Visitors’ Centre. In a beautiful neoclassical building, we learn about this wine region with all its scents, colours and flavours. Our cycling adventure is now halfway over and we have already conquered the toughest hills. So we deserve one glass.
Kilometre-eaters who are more into beer, will find what they are looking for a little further down the road. A few kilometres further on, we come close to Brewery De Vlier. This house brewery has a cosy tasting room and is certainly worthy of a stopover (only open on Saturdays in the afternoon).
Leuven icons
After a pleasant introduction to two sorts of liquid gold, the finale of our tour has arrived. The cycle path gradually leading us back towards Leuven. Just as we reach the city ring road, we make a small detour towards an icon: Stella Artois. This world-famous brewery has been at home in Leuven for centuries. So we have to pass on our greetings before we ride back into the city centre.
Then we cycle along the Vaartkom: formerly an industrial and brewery site, and today one of the city's hippest spots. It is abundantly clear: we are back in the vibrant city of Leuven. We then begin our very last kilometres of the day. At the iconic Grote Markt, we stop for a moment. We admire the centuries-old Town Hall (anno 1439!) and the 235 statutes incorporated into the facade. We marvel at the buildings of the University of Leuven, one of the oldest in Europe. We admire the masterpieces of Flemish Primitive Dieric Bouts in St. Peter’s Church.
Finish: Oude Markt, Leuven
After these cultural-historical intermezzos, we can finally complete our journey. A few hundred metres later, we are back at our starting point: Leuven railway station. Although a special force is still holding us back. Did you know that the Oude Markt in Leuven is known for its row of cafés? And that it is sometimes called “the longest bar in Europe”? Admit it, we must see that for ourselves, right.
Finish
Practical
- Parking:
Parking Station Leuven, Parking 3 Provinciedomein Kessel-Lo - Public transport:
Station Leuven - Bicycles for hire:
Velo Fietspunt Leuven - Nodes:
11 – 33 – 80 – 5 – 83 – 29 – 99 – 98 – 65 – 43 – 44 – 63 – 64 – 82 – 81 – 4 – 80 – 33 – 12 – 7 - 10 - 11
