Halens Pants

The Halens Broek is also known as the Swamps of Halen. A broek is a low-lying area that is permanently wet. This can be due to seepage (rising groundwater) or by a river or stream that regularly overflows and floods the land for extended periods during certain winters. The Halens Broek has now largely been drained for the construction of an industrial area.

Swamps are a good source of folklore and legends. This is also the case here. Fog often rises quickly in these types of low-lying places. When the air cools in the evening or at night, the relatively heavier air sinks to lower areas. And when that cold air is already saturated with water, small water droplets and thus fog form.

The story goes that Brewer Martens had gone to deliver beer and took the shortcut through the Halens Broek to return home. But due to the fog, he lost his way. By chance, the bell of the church in Halen rang. This allowed him to orient himself and find his way back home. Such a swamp was certainly not without dangers. You could quickly get stuck in quicksand and not get out. Brewer Martens realized this as well. He made a donation to the church out of gratitude and also requested that the bell be rung for 3 minutes every day. And that would be the origin of why the church bell of Halen still rings for 3 minutes every day.

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