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Mol has been put on the map by quartz sand. During this cycling route, you will travel through the history of the white sand extraction. Along the way, you will come across various places where you can park your bike. Enjoy the view, stop for a snack or a drink. Everything is possible in #MooiMol.

During the excavation of the Kempen canals in the nineteenth century, workers came across a layer of white sand. “Unusable for agriculture” was the verdict, and the sand remained on the canal banks. Around 1850, a Walloon skipper, who was transporting a load of sand to the glassworks in Liège, took a sample. The Mol quartz sand turned out to be of exceptional quality. An intensive extraction began. The area around the Kempen canals transformed into a patchwork of large bodies of water. Some ponds evolved into recreational domains, while others transformed into beautiful nature reserves.