Mechelen-Boom route

Mechelen
Mechelen
Nature reserves and a magnificent city palace, three breweries and an introduction to no less than four different rivers. This Mechelen-Boom route has a lot in store.

Mechelen-Boom route

0KM

Start

Mechelen
Het Anker

Start: Brewery Het Anker, Mechelen

There are 58 super kilometres waiting for us, but the start of this route is already tempting us to postpone our journey for a while. Across the street, Brewery Het Anker seems to be beckoning us. But we show our character, get on our bikes and start our adventure. See you later, Het Anker! First we are introduced to another Mechelen symbol: the Dyle. Barely two minutes after leaving, we are already cycling on a dedicated cycle path along the beautiful river that cuts Mechelen in half.

Very soon we pass by a cosy little church, which today serves as the home base for Batteliek. This microbrewery, distillery and soft drinks producer is a place that will tingle your taste buds, an address to remember. Via this special location, we arrive at the second river of the day. And that will not be the last one we see.  

We turn away from the Dyle and suddenly follow the flow of the Zenne, which flows from Brussels towards Mechelen. We follow the river in its final metres, because here is where it ends. In the Zennegat, the rivers Dyle and Zenne meet. And a little further along, they are joined by the Nete, forming the Rupel. This merging water creates an extraordinarily enchanting view. We stop for a moment to take in the beauty of it all. 

Langs de Rupel

Tomorrowland

After this first nature highlight, we cycle further alongside the water. Barely ten kilometres from our start, we are cycling alongside a third river: the Rupel. We follow it as far as Boom. A modest municipality, but one with a huge claim to fame. For we are cycling past the provincial domain of De Schorre in Boom, home of Tomorrowland. But we are here to cycle, not party. We swing off, slowly heading back towards Mechelen. Our two-wheeled friends move gracefully to the rhythm of the landscape. Through the greenery, past pools and ponds.  

Blaasveldbroek

Gorgeous Blaasveldbroek

When we have completed about a third of our journey, we take a sharp right turn. Then we fall silent for a moment. The quietness and natural beauty of the Blaasveldbroek overwhelm us. This marshy area in the Rupel plain occupies 160 magnificent hectares. We cycle past ponds and wetlands, a welcome resting place for the birds. As well as other cyclists, we also come across walkers, joggers and anglers. Further on, there is an otter and beaver island. A beautiful and photogenic place to unwind, and to cycle through at your own pace.

After that we cruise on delightfully through the Mechelen hinterland, on quiet roads, right through the open fields. For kilometres, we meander, twist and turn through the landscape. Then we reconnect with the water. We turn onto the car-free cycle path along the Zenne.  

Zennegat

Back to the city

Meandering with the natural curves of the river, we end up at the Vrijbroekpark. We cycle a short distance through this beautiful green lung on the outskirts of Mechelen. We will definitely be coming back here later for a walk, to admire the special plant collection or just to have a drink on a terrace. But first we pedal on, on the way back to Mechelen. Via the dyke along the canal we set course for the city centre. We cycle past the marshes of the Mechels Broek and gradually say goodbye to the greenery. A left turn, over the Dyle, brings us back to the centre of Mechelen. As we bump along over the small cobblestones, we are greeted from afar by an impressive silhouette. The St. Rumbold’s tower looms in the distance. This cathedral is the ultimate icon of Mechelen. It welcomes us to the city.

We cycle past the cathedral and continue to the next heritage stop: Hof van Busleyden, a magnificent renaissance city palace in the heart of the city. Today it serves as a museum. It tells many stories about the time when Mechelen was the capital of Burgundian Netherlands. We are stirred by that history, full of (art) treasures and special figures such as Margaret of Austria.

Brewery (brouwerij) Het Anker - Mechelen 4 © Milo Profi copyright always obligatory

Finish: Brewery Het Anker, Mechelen

In the end, we learned quite a lot on this bike ride. In the meantime, we have come to the last few metres of our adventure. Tired, but satisfied, we cycle to our final destination. It is exactly where we started out: Brewery Het Anker. This brewery is one of the pearls of the Belgian beer crown. It was founded back in 1471, making it one of the oldest breweries in Europe. Its frequently prize-winning 'Gouden Carolus' beers are known to beer lovers all over the world. Such a delicious glass sounds like an excellent reward for those who have just completed a Mechelen cycling adventure. Cheers! 

58KM

Finish

Practical

  • Parking:
    Parking Keerdok
  • Public transport:
    Stations Mechelen en Mechelen-Nekkerspoel
  • Bicycles for hire:
    Blue Bike, Fietsatelier, Fietsbarak  en Mobit. Meer via Visit Mechelen.
  • Nodes:
    96 > 97 > 95 > 90 > 94 > 52 > 51 > 50 > 26 > 28 > 38 > 01 > 10 > 78 > 87 > 53 > 10 > 59 > 92 > 93 > 80 > 54 > 58 > 64 > 57 > 96