Mechelen-Boom route

We have 58 delightful kilometres ahead of us, but the start of this route tempts us to briefly delay the trip. Across the street, Het Anker Brewery and Distillery seems to be beckoning us. But we show character, get on our bikes and start our adventure. See you soon, Het Anker! First, we get to know another symbol of Mechelen: the Dijle. Barely two minutes after setting off, we are already cycling along a car-free embankment alongside the beautiful river that cuts through Mechelen.  

We turn off the Dijle and suddenly follow the Senne, which flows from Brussels towards Mechelen. We follow the river for its final few metres, because this is where it ends. The Senne and Dijle rivers meet in the Zennegat. A little further on, we are treated to a magnificent view of the 'Drierivierenpunt' (Three Rivers Point), where the Dijle, Nete and Rupel rivers converge. We pause for a moment to take in the wonderful view. 

When we have covered about a third of our journey, we take a sharp right turn. Then we pause for a moment. The silence and natural beauty of Blaasveldbroek overwhelm us. This marshy area in the Rupel Plain covers 160 hectares of magnificent nature. We cycle past ponds and wetlands, a welcome resting place for waterfowl. Besides other cyclists, we also come across walkers, joggers and anglers. Further on, there is also an otter and beaver island. A beautiful and photogenic spot in the Scheldt Valley National Park to relax. 

Following the natural curves of the river, we naturally end up at Vrijbroek park. We cycle a short distance through this beautiful green lung on the outskirts of Mechelen. We will definitely come back here for a hike, to admire the special plant collection or visit the mysterious hotel ruins where nature has taken over. On our way back to Mechelen, we stop off at the Brughuis. This cosy pub and microbrewery is located on the banks of the Dijle. Here you can enjoy their delicious craft beers on tap or an extensive selection of non-alcoholic beers. 

We have now reached the final few hundred metres of our adventure. Tired but content, we cycle to our final destination. This is exactly where our route started, at Het Anker Brewery and Distillery. This brewery is one of the jewels in the Belgian beer crown. It was founded in 1471 and is one of the oldest breweries in the country. Its award-winning Gouden Carolus beers are known to aficionados all over the world. Now it's your turn to discover them. That's possible in the Het Anker brasserie or in one of Mechelen's many cosy pubs. Den Stillen Genieter on the Korenmarkt, Mechelen's oldest pub, De Hanekeef on the Veemarkt, the Art Nouveau gem De Gouden Vis, the beer pub par excellence Bar Makadam or the brown pub Het Ankertje on  the Vismarkt are just a few of the many recommendations. After a cycling adventure like this one, you've earned it. Cheers!