Through three provinces around Averbode

Meet at inn Mie Maan (V) in Herselt, at junction 88 of the cycling network of the province of Antwerp. Departure via Elsschot, direction 13. Turn left into the Varendonksebaan and cycle past the name sign of Veerle between meadows, fields and a forest strip to the T on the Bergomseweg. Turn right and then continue to junction 13. Continue straight ahead, direction 89. At the fork, keep left and arrive at the N127. • Cross and follow the cycle path to the left. Past Bloemenland and opposite eatery 't Laak at junction 89 turn right into Blaardonk, direction 47. You cycle between meadows, cross the Grote Laak and cycle through the Trichelhoek nature reserve. At the fork, keep right and cycle through the SintBavostraat past the SintBavokapel 1. A little further along a field chapel into the Schuurstraat and past horse dairy Trichelhof. On the T turn left and at junction 47 turn right into the Poelstraat, direction 21, between the fields until on a T. Turn right until the steenweg on Veerle and then with a left right nod into Plein. At the end turn left, past the agglomeration sign of Eindhout to a square. Turn right here, past tavern Kapelhof and the chapel of Ham 2. Follow the Kapelleberg until you reach a triangular square with a covered picnic area on the right into Rundershoek. Via the Oude Tramlijn and Hemeldonk you reach junction 21. Here turn right, direction 20, and follow the cycle path along the canal. Ignore all side roads and keep following Langedijk. Past the agglomeration sign of Vorst, the canal stops and there is a hedge next to the cycle path. • On the T turn left, direction Tessenderlo, through the center of Forest, past the Markt and the presbytery from 1690 to junction 20. Continue straight on, direction 15, past the SintGertrudiskerk with the impressive 15th century brick tower, a picnic area, the administrative center, the library and the municipal warehouse up to the Grote Laak. Nature reserves Cycle across the bridge and enjoy nature reserve De Rooierbeemden. Back in civilization, you cross an intersection and cycle through the Schrikhoek to junction 15. The green-white signage has changed to the blue-white of Limburg. Turn left, direction 335. On the T turn right, then right again and at the next fork keep left. Via Gerhees you come to junction 335. Always straight ahead, direction 334, past tavern Peerdenposterij to nature reserve Gerhagen. • Turn left at junction 334, direction 331. Turn right onto the first road and cycle past eatery Ter Scoete, the Forest Museum, the Tourist Office, tavern De Zandberg and riding school 't Zavelhof. On the T turn left, past café brasserie Bosrand and hotel restaurant De Lindehoeve. On the next T turn right. In the meantime you have crossed the Gerhagenloop and now wind through the open landscape until you cycle via Houterenberg into the Houterenberg nature reserve, undulating further through the forest. • Back in civilization, ignore all the side roads and cycle through the Smisstraat, past football fields, a cemetery and an old mill hull to junction 331. Cross the intersection and cycle next to the church of 't Goor, direction 31. At the end of the Goorstraat turn right at a chapel, continue between two canals and through a piece of forest. To Averbode You arrive at brasserie restaurant Kiewithoeve. Please note: a redirect may apply here due to works further down the road. Then take the well-signposted detour straight on to junction 31. Otherwise, turn right until you reach a T. Follow Heidestraat to the left. After a forest strip you come back to civilization and continue cycling through Prinsenbos. At the end, on the T, turn left, still Prinsenbos, between loose buildings and along the nameplate of Molenstede. • Green and white signposts again: VlaamsBrabant. At the crossroads with a chapel straight ahead, continue between meadows and through forest strips. The road becomes equally hollow and you arrive in the Asdonkstraat. Turn right, past Playgrounds Dassenaarde. Follow the Asdonkstraat to a chapel in the Klappijstraat. Follow it to the left. At the fork, keep left and then turn right into Cauwberg. At the first intersection turn left and at junction 31 diagonally right into the Merelstraat, direction 32, past the Schaffen name sign and gently climbing. On the T turn right, direction Lazarijberg. • Turn right at the edge of the forest and just over a dirt road. Back in civilization, make a sharp right turn and follow a one-way road. At the end of this descending hollow road turn left along the edge of the forest until the N127. Cycle parallel to it for a while, then cross the Fort Leopoldlaan and follow the cycle path to the left until the traffic lights. Turn right, direction Hasselt. You are now at junction 32 and turn right at the traffic lights, direction 58. Follow the Turnhoutsebaan, past Diest station and under the bridge of the R26. • The Turnhoutsebaan becomes the Fabriekstraat. Keep following the railway, with the Demer and Molenstedebroek on the left. Left at the fork, continue along the railway. Just before zichem station is junction 58. Continue cycling towards 25. Turn right at the station. Leave the road to Molenstede on the right and continue cycling towards Averbode, past visitor centre Huize Ernest Claes and further right into the Vorststraat. Ignore all side streets until you can turn left into Abdijstraat. Now in one straight line to the abbey of Averbode 3 , The system of the bicycle junction network was invented in Limburg, with blue and white signage. Later, the system was successfully adopted in the other Flemish provinces. There with green and white signs, because Toerisme Vlaanderen wants to prevent confusion with road signs. Limburg does retain the original signs. Member benefit: this sheet and the GPS route can also be found on www.pasar.be/ledentoegang. past tavern restaurant Het Vossenhol and 300 m before the abbey junction 25. Continue straight ahead, direction 18. The revolving gate of the abbey stands at a three-province point: Flemish Brabant, Antwerp and Limburg. At the abbey turn left and immediately right into the road next to it. Descend to junction 18 on the Herseltsebaan. Between the vines Cross over and cycle into the forest, direction 56. From the forest you come to the Nieuwstraat. With a right-left nod into the Nieuwe Mechelsebaan. Turn right at an intersection. You now follow the Mechelsebaan between loose buildings in a forest and past the name sign of Wolfsdonk. Cross a priority road at Duivenlokaal Den Arend and follow the Oude Mechelsebaan until you can turn left into the Zavelstraat. Cross a quadruple jump and continue through the forest. • On a T, you get to junction 56 with a left-right nod. Choose direction 19. A bit along the railway and then via the Weegstraat back to the Oude Mechelsebaan. Turn right for a moment and then left into the forest and Kiekopstraat. Past Kabouterland and at the junction with the white chapel from 1894 turn left into Molenheide. From the forest a crossroads over and further along the Molenheide to the crossroads with the Heimolen (1662) 4 . Turn right and past the windmill to the T. Then turn left and right into the Merenstraat, past B&B De Meren until a priority road. Turn left and right into Langdonkenstraat, a winding road between fields and meadows to junction 19. Continue straight ahead, direction 87. • Cross the Herseltse Beek and cycle into the province of Antwerp. Along the football field of De Schilders, weekend stays, fields and meadows to junction 87. Turn right into Beningstraat, direction 86, past the Drieshoeve until you reach the T. Turn right until you reach Wolfdonksesteenweg. Turn left and right into Mottaart. At the junction with a chapel, keep right and cycle past Den Mottaart to a quadrangle. Turn left and via the Kapittelbergstraat past De Wijnschuur of winery Ten Kapittelberg 5. Cross the Blauwbergsesteenweg to the Drie Eikenstraat. Turn right at junction 86, via the Veerlepad through the Hertberg woods to junction 88.