Blue Boulder

Blauwe Kei is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. Blauwe Kei was created after digging the Bocholt-Herentals canal, near the first lock, and falls under the hamlet of Lommel-Werkplaatsen (Lommel-Fabriek). A little further towards Antwerp is also the branch from Canal to Beverlo that ends in Leopoldsburg.

History
The first transport link for industry was waterways. Of great importance was the construction in 1843 of the Kempisch Kanaal or Canal Bocholt-Herentals (also called Maas-Schelde canal) that connects Antwerp with the Kempen and connects to the Albert Canal in Lanaken. In the direction of Antwerp, this canal descends by 15 meters over a distance of 4 km due to the geological formation 'Breuk van Rauw'. To overcome this decline, it was necessary to build locks. Ships sailing in the direction of Antwerp have to descend and the first lock in line is the Blauwe kei or lock 1 also called Sas 1.

lock 1A 50m x 7m
lock 1N 55m x 7,5m
Blue Boulder takes its name from a large blue slate that would have been brought by the Meuse during the ice ages, when boulders from the south were swept away by a mighty stream of glaciers and meltwater.

This stone served as a boundary stone between Mol and Postel (so not exactly where Blauwe Kei is now) and would have ended up under sprayed sand during widening works of the canal in 1926. The Geographic Service of Belgium has tried unsuccessfully to recover this stone.

Nature
The forest area Blauwe Kei-De Maat (on the border between Lommel and Mol) is part of the Bosland forest area and actually consists of three unique nature reserves. There are hay meadows, deciduous forests, heathland, fens, shallow ponds and swamps here.

Tourism
On 6 October 1999, due to its industrial-archaeological value, lock 1 located in Lommel (Lommel), Blauwe Kei is protected as a monument and village view.

The Blue Boulder is a popular meeting place for tourists. The combination of canals, the Sassen complex, the artwork of Michel Franssens and the cozy terraces ensure that the Blauwe Kei is one of the attractions in Lommel.

Just north of the Blue Boulder is the Stone of the Seven Glories, another well-known boundary stone.

Eddy&Rita