Along the mills around Averbode

1. Start at the Abbey of Averbode (1) (V). Parking is possible opposite the abbey or further down the lane in the parking lot of the Vijvers. Follow the 'Lekdreef', famous for its ice cream carts, to junction 25. Turn left here, direction 334, past the sign Schoot Tessenderlo. You can now enjoy more than 2 km of oxygen on the cycle path through the forests of Averbode and along recreation area De Vijvers (2).
At the end, follow the Turnhoutsebaan to the left on a separate cycle path. Then carefully cross the busy road and continue cycling on the other side through the Gerhagen walking park on a paved cycle path. Continue until junction 334 and choose direction 335. You cycle between the meadows and along the picturesque de Peerdenposterij to junction 335. Then continue to junction 15, passing fields and meadows, farms and a residential area. Choose junction 14 and follow the rural road Schoterheide to the Turnhoutsebaan. Cross and cycle along a dirt road to a wider gravel road. Right and immediately left, again a narrow asphalt road. At the end of the Oude Diesterseweg you cross the Averboodse Baan next to café Euro and at the fork you keep right and choose the dead end road. The asphalt turns into pebbles and the road is made car-free with poles. You pass the football field of De Ware Vrienden and after a few twists and turns you reach a paved road again. Follow it to the right until junction 14. Continue cycling straight ahead, towards 13, and turn left further into Rode Laakstraat. After a few windings through the agricultural landscape, turn right into Peirenstraat, a very narrow asphalt road.

Inspiration for Elsschot
Cross the Herseltsesteenweg, with petting zoo Het Ooievaarsnest on the left, and continue cycling through Haagven. At the junction with the tree chapel, keep left and cycle to junction 13. Turn left, direction 88. At the Herseltseweg turn right and cross the Rode Laak. Keep following the Varendonksebaan, first through a forest strip, then further through the quiet, agricultural landscape. At the end, follow Elsschot to the right. Alfons De Ridder, who often came here on holiday in his youth, chose his pseudonym Willem Elsschot here. At the end of this road you will arrive at junction 88, at the legendary café Mie Maan. Cross the Diestsebaan and follow the Veerlepad through the Provincial Green Domain Hertberg, direction 86. After 2 km you reach that junction at the end of the Veerlepad. Now follow the Drie Eikenstraat to the left, direction 87. Cross the Blaubergstraat and cycle past the Kapittelberg winery. At the first intersection, follow Mottaart to the right until you reach a stone road. Turn left and then right into Beningstraat. At the first fork, follow Beningstraat on the left with limited numbers and continue cycling on a winding asphalt road, past some large greenhouses to junction 87. Now follow Langdonkenstraat, direction 19. You cycle between spacious houses and later between weekend houses and do not care about side roads.

From mill to mill
Cross the Herseltse beek to junction 19. Continue straight ahead, direction 56. At the end of the Langdonkenstraat, on the T, turn left. Via a narrow asphalt road you come to a priority road with suspender cycle paths. Follow it to the left and then take the Merenstraat on the right, direction Heimolen. Past B&B De Meren into the forest. At the end of the Mere(n)straat turn left and then right into the Windmillstraat.
Past the Heimolen (1662) (3) immediately to the left. Keep following the narrow concrete road until you can turn right, next to a chapel from 1894, into Kiekopstraat. Still through the forest and past the Kabouterland party hall. Then turn right until you can turn left into the Weegstraat, parallel to the railway to junction 56. Continue towards 57. Do not cross the railway, but cycle on the left and then immediately on the right, parallel to the railway. You enter the bend of a wider road with red cycle paths. Follow it to the right, so just about straight ahead. Past the nameplate of Testelt turn right into the narrow cobblestone road Zavelbeemden. Cross a stream and dive under the railroad. On the other side, turn left and follow the railway towards Testelt, through the Stationsstraat and past the station. Ignore the railway crossing on the left, cycle past the church and the water mill (4) and cross the Demer, with a beautiful view of the village center from the bridge. Now continue on a wider road with red cycle paths. At tavern De Spellehut you come to junction 57.

Ernest Claes
Turn left, direction 59. You follow the Spechtstraat along the ponds of the Doodbroek and through the forest. The street turns into a narrow path along the edge of the forest and a meadow. Then you cycle on a gravel road, which is paved from the first houses. At the end turn left and then immediately right, again on a path reserved for cyclists, until on an asphalt road. Turn right and then left into Reyndersveldweg. It ends in the Pater P. Van de Wouwerstraat. Follow it to the left, direction zichem centre. Then turn left onto the first street and take the church path on the right. You end up in Ter Elzen. Left. At the sandstone gate (18th century) of the former Alder monastery you bend to the right and cycle to the church of Zichem, past the statue of Ernest Claes with the White on his shoulders. Take the street opposite the church, direction 59. Cross the Demer and cycle past the watermill (5) and the river to the first bridge. Turn left there. Cross the Demer again and follow it to the right. You come to a fork with two bridges. On the other bank is the 26 m high Maiden Tower (6), a medieval border tower / keep of the Duchy of Brabant. Do not cross a bridge, but cycle left until you reach the old railway bridge over the Demer. There you reach node 59. Continue cycling to 58, barely 400 m further. Here you follow the railway, direction Zichem station and junction 25. You enter the Ernest Claesstraat again and follow it to the right. Immediately cross the railway and continue cycling along a road with a red cycle path. Don't worry about side roads, cycle past museum Huize Ernest Claes and then turn right into the Vorststraat. Ignore all side roads until you can turn left into the Abdijstraat. On the Sprinkhaanstraat, the street becomes car-free and you cycle through a beautiful drive to junction 25. Finally, a visit to the courtyard of the abbey is highly recommended!