The old train route Aarschot-Herentals

The cycle path of the Kempen-Hageland route was constructed on the old bed of railway line 29. Line 29 ran from Aarschot over Herentals, Turnhout, and Baarle to Tilburg. Only the section Wolfstee–Herentals–Turnhout is still in use.
The section between Aarschot and Herentals was put into operation in 1863. The line was conceived as an alternative connection between Brussels and Amsterdam, as the route over Antwerp was longer. However, it is not the start and end points that determine the importance of a railway line, and the route never performed as expected. A stop was only opened in Ramsel in 1899, to be closed for passenger traffic 60 years later, in 1955. From 1970 to 1979 the line was briefly reopened, but unsuccessfully.
In the 1980s, a cycle path was paved with asphalt over the railway bed. To enhance this cycle path, the non-profit organization Kempens Landschap, Regional Landscape Kleine and Grote Nete, and Kamp C | Provincial Center for Sustainable Building and Living joined forces. The result of this collaboration is the sustainable Kempen-Hageland route, a 22 km long cycling route with a sustainable, ecological, and artistic character. The route currently provides a valuable connection for both commuting, school children, and for recreational cyclists who wish to ride between the Kempen and the Hageland.

Jan Rymenams