Westerlo, green pearl of the Kempen

The Abbey of Tongerlo (V), founded around 1130, is located near the village of Tongerlo, part of Westerlo. Meet at the parking lot for this Norbertine abbey. Leave the car park on the side of the abbey and walk to the right on a dirt road parallel to the abbey wall. The dirt road becomes a clinker road and takes you past the cemetery in the center of Tongerlo. At the traffic lights, turn right. On the left you can see the neo-Gothic St. Anne's Church. Ignore the Elf-Julilaan immediately left behind the church and walk 20 m further left onto trannoyplein (direction sign Westerlo). Ignore Voorteinde on the left and Goorken on the right and continue straight along the Guldensporenlaan. Walk 350 m further left into the Zoggestraat. At the fork, after 300 m, keep left. The asphalt becomes a dirt road and the landscape becomes very green and quiet. The dirt road becomes asphalt again and always takes you straight ahead (ignore the left before the stadium) between the stadium and practice squares of KVC Westerlo on the N19. Cross carefully to 't Hoeveke, a drinking establishment. Walk to the left and 30 m further right into Smallerijt. On the right you will soon see the buildings and installations of the water extraction company Pidpa. About 500 m further on the right, next to and in front of house number 9, is a dirt road. This will take you directly to the Grote Nete. Here to the right on the dike along the water. Enjoy the changing views and the many water birds on and along the Nete. Walk straight ahead at the Kaaibeek bridge (with picnic area) and stay right along the water. There is also a picnic area at the next bridge. Cross the Grote Nete at this second bridge. On the left you can see the remains of Trammeke 1 , an old lock system (1874) that mainly served for the irrigation of the surrounding agricultural lands. On an information board you will find clear explanations. Continue walking along the Nete, now on the left bank. Soon you will see the beautiful Castle of Prins de Merode 2 on the right. The oldest part, the keep, dates from the Middle Ages, the rest of the castle together with the farm and service quarters from the 16th and 17th centuries. The castle of Westerlo is accessible every year at the beginning of July during the traditional weekend of the Castle Festivals. On the left is a beautiful mirror pond, which together with the surrounding forests belongs to the castle domain. 350 meters further you come back to the N19. Cross the stone road and the Grote Nete and continue walking along the right bank of the Nete. The landscape along the winding water remains particularly beautiful and varied. After just over 1.5 km there is a GRpad on the right (ignore exit on the right just before). Walk away from the water towards junction 10 of the Merode hiking network. Then straight ahead in the beautiful forests of the Beeltjens, to junction 9 and then over the footbridge to junction 8 and still straight on to junction 7. Junction 7 is the Star 3, a unique eight-jump with shelter. Walk straight ahead here too and continue straight for 300 m via two barriers, now in the Langedreef. The drive turns left after 250 m and takes you out of the forest via an oak drive. On the concrete road, turn right, ignore Overwijs on the right and cross Geneinde a little further. Continue straight on in the Oevelse drift. Right in front of you you get a beautiful view of the classified landscape with the Abbey of Tongerlo. Walk a little further through a large fence into the courtyard of the abbey. In the farthest corner on the right in front of you is the late Romanesque and Gothic gatehouse along where you leave the abbey and come back to the parking lot. However, first make time for a visit to the Abbey with, among other things, the Tiendschuur (1618), the neo-Gothic Abbey Church, the Bishop's House (built from 1547) and the classicist Abbot's House (started construction anno 1724) with garden and Da Vinci museum.