Walking along the Kleine Nete river: Discovery Tour Herentals
Discovery Tour Herentals
Start
Start: Netepark
Our adventure begins at Netepark, a sprawling recreational area on the banks of the Kleine Nete. Children are guaranteed hours of fun here. There is a huge playground and an indoor pool. During the summer, you can use the outdoor pool or enjoy a game of miniature golf. But that fun comes later. We arrive by bus or park our car at Netepark and head out.
Beguinage
We immediately start our walk along the banks of the Kleine Nete. This river is our guide on this walk. The picturesque stream leads us to the first attraction: the beguinage of Herentals. In earlier times, this was home to groups of unmarried, religious women. They dedicated their lives to God and lived together in a small community. This beguinage was founded as early as the mid-13th century. Step inside and feel an overwhelming sense of peace. The beauty of the Gothic St Catherine Church Beguinage adds extra cachet. Visit this gem from 2 - 5 pm on weekends during the summer. Hungry and thirsty yet? Coffee bar 't Convent welcomes you with warm hospitality. You can then continue merrily on the journey.
De Hellekens
We then arrive at the charming Hellekens nature reserve. The Kleine Nete also has a home here. As we continue walking, we discover how the river gained more space when one of its old meanders was restored here a few years ago. The construction of this river bend was finalised in 2021 and the Kleine Nete once again became a more natural watercourse. It's an intervention that is both good for nature and serves as a buffer against flooding. Spotting some beautiful Galloway cattle in the distance, we continue to walk towards the lookout point. This is a good spot to rest and use the binoculars to get a better view of the birds.
Olens Broek
There is still plenty of natural splendour to discover. Next stop: Olens Broek. This natural patchwork of beautiful blues and greens is an impressive 185 acres. Alder wet woodlands, meadows, river dunes and hedgerows create a surprising landscape full of life. This landscape becomes even more beautiful in the spring when it's covered in an enchanting carpet of flowers. We cross the Kleine Nete along an imposing 26-metre-long steel pedestrian bridge.
Way of the Cross
After crossing the bridge, our walk seems to take on Biblical proportions. We are at the oldest Way of the Cross in Belgium. It symbolises the suffering Jesus experienced in Jerusalem some 2,000 years ago. The one in Herentals consists of 14 stations depicting the Passion of Christ. Seven chapels of Our Lady of Seven Woes are located on that same path. The Chapel of the Holy Cross is the largest of the seven and was built in the early 16th century.
Tourist Tower
Our next stop is slightly less strenuous but still a modest physical challenge. Those who conquer the 112 wooden steps of the tourist tower are rewarded with a magnificent panoramic view of the Kempense Heuvelrug. More on that in a moment. This lookout tower was originally designed for the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair. It was demolished after problems with woodworm and a lightning strike, and a renovated tower has proudly adorned the landscape here for more than 40 years. Once back down, we relax in the café near the tower to enjoy a cup of coffee or the local Torenwachter beer.
Kempense heuvelrug
We now have one more highlight to explore: the Kempense Heuvelrug, which includes the Way of the Cross and the tourist tower. The unusual landscape of this ridge was shaped by millions of years of geological processes. Want to know more? Stop at a tourist information point and ask for the Kempense Heuvelrug brochure. Today this place is an impressive nature reserve with a panorama dominated by vast forests on sandy soil, along with heathland, fens, dunes, sunken lanes and heritage sites. It is a beautiful place to explore further but we'll save that for later. We cannot resist the lure of the final stretch of walk.
Arrival: Netepark
A green winding path takes us back to Netepark. Children might consider this the highlight of the entire adventure. We can enjoy snacks and drinks while the little ones burn off their remaining energy in this magnificent recreational area. An entertaining ending to a wonderful journey through the Antwerp Kempen.
Finish
