The 4 bicycle bridges loop between Zemst and Vilvoorde (32,2km; 20Mi)

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32.3 km
73 m
01h47
Easy

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Route information

3540 views | Public | Dutch

Last verified: 21 April 2023
Translated by Azure

Description by the author

This cycle/loop of 32.2km (20Mi) starts at the fishing pit in Weerde (north parking) and aims to make a loop in clockwork style along the neighboring boroughs of Weerde - Hofstade - Melsbroek - Peutie - Houtem - Weerde. The intention is twofold: (1) It is conceived as a low-traffic 20Mi endurance run in preparation for a marathon. (2) Because of the beautiful passages that are visited, this is an excellent sports trip for family or cycling holidaymaker, but also especially useful as a school excursion.
The aim is to introduce soft road users (pedestrian-runners-cyclists) to the existing, for them, suitable low-traffic connecting roads between these nearby residential areas. The description of the GPS loop starts in Weerde, but it can of course be started at any other place on the loop.

The rest of this itinerary is largely focused on (school) educational purposes, but even the endurance runner will certainly put it on his to-run list when reading.

The loop crosses the dangerous Woluwelaan (R22) twice; and also twice the Brussels-Antwerp motorway (E19) with many (dangerous) entrances and exits in its vicinity. She lets you experience first-hand where and how people have or have not succeeded in actually realizing these village center connections safely.

Summary of the sights:
In addition to the beautiful steel bridge constructions and views from these bridges, some other sights on the rural roads between the Senne and Dijle valleys are also included. Among other things, the ruins of the Weerdemolen on the Senne, the Steenmolen on the former Barebeek, and the former location of the Bals windmill in Peutie. There are also two water castles (Rubens Castle and Schiplaken Castle).
In the boroughs, there is also a drive past various playgrounds and parks so that time can be made available for rest and play opportunities.

Route description with further explanation and internet links:
Things have gone wrong in Weerde since the start of the loop: All former slow roads between Weerde and Hofstade were cut in 1977 during the construction of the E19 (http://wegen-routes.be/doss/A1n.html). They then go against the E19 under the Brusselsesteenweg to turn right and cycle the loop in counterclockwise direction.
The village centres are therefore Weerde –> Houtem –> Peutie –> Melsbroek –> Elewijt –> Hofstade –> Weerde.

Via Weerde (and two small playgrounds) you will pass the Weerdemolen on the Senne and the Rubens Castle (a water castle, also called 'Het Steen'; where painter Rubens stayed). Opposite you will find the Steenmolen, which, like the moat of the Rubens Castle, used to be fed by the Barebeek. The Barebeek was also cut by the construction of the E19 in its course to this side of the highway, and shorted on the east side. A forest path along the former Barebeek takes us to Houtem. A little further we come to the first bicycle bridge that was built in 2007 over the busy Woluwelaan (R22) between Houtem and Vilvoorde. There were many accidents at the former bicycle intersection. Thanks to the bicycle bridge, there is now a safe crossing without the cars and trucks having to slow down on the Woluwelaan.
(see http://www.infosteel.be/projects2/images/pdf/sa21p198.pdf and http://www.nieuwsblad.be/article/detail.aspx?articleid=NJ1QI1PF ).
On the bridge you have a nice view of the nearby railway line and the fields in the area.

After this, the Antwerp-Mechelen-Brussels railway line is followed over Schoewever to Vilvoorde (Faubourg district), where the Balsmolen once stood (a windmill, see on the old postcard: http://www.molenechos.org/images/vbrabant/vilvoorde_vdb20.jpg from http://www.molenechos.org/verdwenen/molen.php?AdvSearch=3420). The ruin was recently demolished and some houses were placed on it. It remains a strange sight that the postcard of yesteryear shows rural Peutie in this fully built place. This street still bears a memory of this mill (Windmill Street), and opposite there is a lawn that should remind of the former rural character of this region.
To safely reach nearby Peutie, you have to cross the busy Woluwelaan (R22) again. For this purpose, the very recently constructed bicycle bridge on stilts (opening December-January 2012 ?) is taken that safely connects the Kleine Steenstraat in Vilvoorde with the Vilvoordestraat in Peutie. (If the bridge is not yet open, take the first traffic lights further along the cycle path). This bicycle bridge on stilts allows you to easily view the busy Woluwelaan from above.
(see http://www.wegenenverkeer.be/wegenwerken/werven-gewestwegen/item/herinrichting-tervuursesteenweg-n227-in-elewijt-2-copy-copy.html )

The next village we address is nearby Melsbroek. Between the two residential areas there is a maze of entrances and exits on the E19. Through a park, playground and sports fields we drive into the Leuvensesteenweg cut by the E19. At the end of that cul-de-sac from Vilvoorde to Melsbroek we take a third bicycle bridge. This is the largest and longest bicycle bridge in Flanders, opened in mid-2009.
(see http://www.brusselnieuws.be/artikel/brucargo-heeft-rechtstreekse-verbinding-met-e19
and the VRT video clip about the placement of this longest bicycle bridge http://www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws/mediatheek/programmas/journaal/2.6055/2.6056/1.553074 )
You can notice this red bicycle bridge from afar and it gives you beautiful views all around: In good weather you can notice from here the Viaduct of the Ring Around Brussels, several bridges over the Brussels-Willebroek Sea Canal, the air traffic control system CANAC, the airport of Zaventem, the Atomium, the Basilica of Grimbergen, ... Here you can see a plane taking off every 5 minutes in a south wind. From the bridge you can also view the new Mechelen-Zaventem railway line between the E19, which plunges left at this place under the E19 towards the airport (Diabolo train connection).

Then we drive back north along rural and partly wooded roads to Elewijt and Hofstade. The forests have been present here for centuries and were used to give marshy swampy fields a meaningful destination. We also drive past the water castle of Schiplaken which is located on the Zwarte Beek. We stay near this stream that flows a little further into the Ponds of the Bloso domain in Hofstade. In this Sports Domain we come across the largest playground in the wider area!

Then in this Bloso domain we follow the large pond that was dug out to raise the railway lines nearby so that traffic passes under it. We follow the railway line 27b from Hofstade to Weerde, follow the Barebeek under the railway line, and continue following the railway line. However, there is only 1 bridge left over the Senne that could take us back to the starting point in Weerde. Behind this bridge there is the E19 motorway that has definitely cut the road to Weerde. Back problems.

At this place is the Barebeek (which we have just crossed) less than 150m from the Senne. This region is therefore unique because here two watercourses are very close to each other and yet belong to a different basin: The Barebeek flows from here to the Dijle and therefore belongs to the Dijle valley; here are 2 watercourses of different valleys at 150m from each other (Zennevallei and Dijlevallei). No wonder it can be soggy here in winter (Vriezenbroek).

To get to Weerde we therefore have to detour along the busy Schumanlaan. Beware of all entrances and exits and the sharp bends in the cycle paths! When we have crossed safely, we will pass the fish pit of Weerde that was excavated to build the E19. During these excavations, the children of Weerde and Hofstade found many shark teeth and mammoth bones.

The locations of the playgrounds, bicycle bridges (with its beautiful views) and other peculiarities can be found by clicking on the zoomed-in map on the POIs.

Around Vilvoordse, these are not the only bicycle bridge initiatives that have an actual realization. There is also the project 'from Basilica to Basilica' that is in the pipeline and will be realized shortly (see http://www.wenz.be/nl/nieuws/Nieuwe-brug-zal-Watersite-aansluiten-op-park-Drie-Fonteinen/ )

It is a pity that for the reopening of the slow roads between Weerde and Hofstade (which were cut by the E19) on zemst territory, there is currently no (political) decisiveness to actually realize a similar bicycle bridge. This would drastically improve the mobility of vulnerable road users in this north Flemish Brabant zone.

This missing bicycle bridge would not only eliminate the unsafe situation for the slow road user on the Schumanlaan: the distance Weerde - Hofstade Blosodomein will be three times shorter, and there is also the possibility to connect the Senne valley with the Dijle valley with a few minor interventions (also in Zemst, nml. here in Weerde where the Senne closests the Barebeek -Dijlevallei- ) to connect the Senne valley with the Dijle valley at the railway bridge over the Leuvensevaart. See POI: https://www.routeyou.com/location/view/47536934/trage-weg-zennevallei-dijlevallei-in-zemst-tweemaal-onderbroken.nl

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